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Journalist groups urge stronger protections after mass layoffs
Global tech giants control ‘over 75 percent of ads’ in Indonesia, putting local media firms and news organizations in a tight position financially, leading to recent mass layoffs, according to professional journalist associations.
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Safeguarding local media: Several journalists show banners demanding fair pay and that media companies protect sexual violence victims during a march to commemorate International Labor Day on May 1, 2025 in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. (Antara/Andry Denisah)
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ournalist associations have called for authorities to ensure a level playing field between local media companies and global digital platforms through stronger national-level regulations, as mass layoffs continue to ravage local firms.
On Monday, House of Representatives Commission I overseeing communications and information held a meeting with the government-backed Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and the Indonesian Video Streaming Association (AVISI) to hear their concerns about the state of local media.
Agus Sudibyo of the PWI blamed the lack of policies regulating global digital platforms that he said allowed them to slowly drive local media outlets, from print to television companies, out of business.
He noted that the lack of regulations led to unfair profit sharing, non-transparent payments for content produced by local publishers on global digital platforms, a lack of data sharing and a monopoly on advertorials by the platforms.
Tech giants such as ByteDance, which owns video sharing platform TikTok, Google and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, have a monopoly of “over 75 percent of the ads” in Indonesia, according to Agus.
“This is not only an issue of media sustainability, but also of our economic and even national sovereignty,” Agus told lawmakers on Monday.
Read also: Decline in Indonesia’s press freedom alarming
