Press Release: CIVIL SOCIETY COALITION FOR PRESS FREEDOM CALLS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTEGRITY-DRIVEN PUBLISHER RIGHTS COMMITTEE
The Tifa Foundation – Civil Society Coalition for Press Freedom, comprising LBH Pers, SEJUK, AMSI, PPMN, the Tifa Foundation, SAFEnet, FPMJ, ICW, IDA, and Internews urge the Press Council, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, and the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia to establish a Publisher Rights Committee in an open, participatory, and accountable manner, emphasizing the integrity of both the process and the outcomes.
It is important to recognize that the implementation of Presidential Regulation No. 32 of 2024 on the Responsibilities of Digital Platform Companies to Support Quality Journalism (Publisher Rights) requires the participation and oversight of various stakeholder sectors as well as the broader civil society. To that end, the Press Council and relevant ministries must ensure that the task force established to select committee members operates transparently and accountably.
The Presidential Regulation on Publisher Rights, enacted in late February 2024, stems from a commitment to promote high-quality journalistic content and ensure fair compensation from digital platform companies to media companies. One of the mandates of this regulation is the formation of a committee tasked with overseeing and facilitating the fulfillment of digital platform companies’ obligations; providing recommendations to the minister responsible for government affairs in the field of communication and information technology regarding the results of such oversight; and facilitating arbitration or alternative dispute resolution between digital platform companies and media companies in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Therefore, the establishment of the committee is a crucial step in the overall implementation of Presidential Regulation No. 32 of 2024. This committee plays a vital role in ensuring that media companies and digital platforms develop a fair compensation formula, as well as in overseeing the monitoring and reporting processes when information is disseminated on digital platforms that violates the code of journalistic ethics or applicable laws and regulations.
To ensure that this spirit is reflected in its implementation, the committee’s formation team must guarantee the openness of the committee selection process. Transparency in this selection process is essential to ensure that the entire process is conducted with due regard for the rights of civil society, particularly the right to access information. Additionally, the task force established by the Press Council to formulate the operational regulations for the Presidential Regulation on Publishers’ Rights must ensure that these regulations apply to all digital platforms and do not target specific digital platform companies exclusively.
On that basis, the Civil Society Coalition for Press Freedom urges:
- The Press Council and the Committee’s Selection Committee will ensure that the entire selection process is conducted in a participatory and transparent manner, prioritizing the rights of civil society, particularly the right to access information.
- The Press Council and the Committee Selection Committee must prioritize candidates who demonstrate integrity and are committed to quality journalism, press freedom, and the implementation of a fair compensation model for media companies and journalists across all digital platforms with a significant presence in Indonesia.
- The Press Council and the Task Force must ensure that the drafting of the committee’s operating procedures is carried out in a participatory manner by actively involving independent experts, civil society organizations with a particular focus on press freedom and quality journalism, and other relevant sectors.
Jakarta, March 7, 2024
Civil Society Coalition for Press Freedom: LBH Pers, SEJUK, AMSI, PPMN, Tifa Foundation, SAFEnet, FPMJ, ICW, IDA, Internews
Contact:
Ade Wahyudin (LBH Pers)