Mass media in Indonesia

[1] The trend toward somewhat greater pluralism and openness had begun in the late New Order, when the regime allowed the founding of a number of new television and radio stations.

[1] Although the television licenses were all given to various Suharto family members, cronies, and other wealthy conglomerates, competition for advertising revenue and a large potential national audience meant that some of these stations were tempted to push the boundaries, especially regarding the ban on news programs other than those produced by the then state-run Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI).

[4] Examples include Sonora and Prambors in the nation's capital, Radio Istara in Surabaya, Swaragama in Yogyakarta, and Global FM Bali in Denpasar.

Television and radio traditionally have been dominated by government networks, but private commercial channels have been emerging since the introduction of RCTI in the Jakarta area in 1988.

[4] By early in the new century, the improved communications system had brought television signals to every village in the country, and most Indonesians could choose from 11 channels.

[4] In addition to the public broadcaster TVRI, there were dozens of national private channels, the best known are Indosiar, RCTI, SCTV, Metro TV, and Trans7.

[4] Some channels have a specific orientation, for instance, Global TV, which initially offered broadcasts from MTV Indonesia, and MNCTV (formerly Indonesian Educational Television, or TPI) which originally carried only educational programming but expanded into quiz programs, sports, reality shows, and other popular entertainment.

[1] President Abdurrahman Wahid further weakened the government's ability to control the media when he abolished the Ministry of Information at the outset of his administration.

[1] The censorship board for motion pictures (Film Censorship Board, Lembaga Sensor Film) remained in existence, however, mainly to police "public morality" (nudity, sexuality) rather than political statements, and President Megawati Sukarnoputri reestablished the information-matter ministry into Ministry of Communication and Informatics on her ascension to power.

[1] In the absence of significant government repression, spurious defamation lawsuits by private individuals have become the principal means of stifling media scrutiny.