Gov’t Issues Regulation on Publisher Rights
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on February 20, 2024 issued Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 32 of 2024 on the Responsibility of Digital Platform Companies to Support Quality Journalism.
“Quality journalism and the sustainability of conventional media industry are important concerns for the Government, and after a long period and a rigorous debate, I finally sign Presidential Regulation on the Responsibilities of [Company] Digital Platforms to Support Quality Journalism, known as Presidential Regulation on Publisher Rights,” the President said at the the 2024 National Press Day Commemoration on Tuesday (02/20) at Ecoventional Hall, Ecopark, Ancol, Jakarta.
The issuance of the Presidential Regulation is based on the consideration that quality journalism is pivotal in democracy, and it should be supported by digital platform companies. On the other hand, the development in information technology has created major changes in the practice of quality journalism, one of which is the presence of digital platform companies, so the Government needs to manage the ecosystem of digital platform companies to support quality journalism.
“The Presidential Regulation aims to regulate the responsibility of digital platform companies to support quality journalism so that news, as a journalistic product, is respected and valued in a fair and transparent manner,” Article 2 of the Regulation reads.
The scope of the Regulation includes provisions on digital platform companies; collaboration between digital platform companies and media companies; committee; and funding.
Digital platform companies are determined based on the presence of digital platform services in Indonesia, while media companies are media companies that have been verified by the Press Council.
The Presidential Regulation stipulates that digital platform companies are obliged to support quality journalism by:
- avoid facilitating the dissemination and/or commercialization of news content that violates laws on journalism, after receiving reports through the reporting facilities provided by digital platform companies;
- providing best efforts to help prioritizing the facilitation and commercialization of news produced by media companies;
- providing fair treatment to all media companies in offering digital platform services;
- implementing training and programs aimed at supporting quality and responsible journalism;
- providing best efforts in designing news distribution algorithm that support quality journalism in accordance with democratic values, diversity and regulations; as well as
- collaborating with media companies.
“The collaboration between digital platform companies and media companies should be stated in an agreement. The cooperation is in the form of a paid license; profit sharing; shared aggregate news user data; and/or other cooperation forms,” the Regulation states.
The Presidential Regulation also stipulates the formation of a committee whose task is to ensure that digital platform companies fulfill their obligations as stated in the Regulation.
“The committee should be established and determined by the Press Council, and the Committee should carry out its duties independently,” Paragraph (1) and Paragraph (2) of Article 9 read.
The committee carries out the function of monitoring and facilitating for digital platform companies obligation; providing recommendations regarding the results of supervision to the Minister administering government affairs in the field of communications and informatics; and providing facilitation in arbitration or alternative dispute resolution between digital platform companies and media companies in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations.
The committee membership consists of representatives from the Press Council member not representing media companies; the Ministry that administers government affairs in the field of communications and informatics; and experts in the field of digital platform services not affiliated with digital platform companies or media companies.
Article 18 of the Regulation states that the funding to carry out the committee’s duties and functions comes from press organizations; media companies; state funding; and/or other sources in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations.
“The Presidential Regulation comes into force after six months from the date of its promulgation,” the closing provisions of the Presidential Regulation states.
For the record, the Regulation can be accessed on the Cabinet Secretariat’s JDIH page.
(UN) (RI/LW)
