Five print media reject political ads limitation

Five national print media firms – Kompas, Media Indonesia, Republika, Indo Pos and Gatra magazine on Thursday rejected a proposal to limit the number of campaign adverts political parties could post in print media during the general election campaign period.

In a meeting with the special committee for the general election bill, media bosses voiced their opinions regarding the political adverts in the media.

The next general election is in 2014.

Committee chief Arif Wibowo expressed his concerns that advertisements in the media would serve as an injustice to the political competition, as only wealthy parties would be able to afford advertisements and media campaigning.

Budiman Tanuredjo, who represented Kompas, said that almost all media firms in Indonesia lived off their advertisements. Any limitation on adverts, he said, would leave a lot of media financially unhealthy.

He explained that Kompas clearly distinguished between commercial and editorial pieces and therefore their readers would not confuse the two.

He also took the opportunity to correct what he called misperceptions about political adverts in Kompas.

“People think that once someone puts an advert in Kompas, any news on them would be positive one. This is not true,” he said.