Dinamika Independensi Pers di Indonesia: Suatu Tinjauan Hukum

Abstract

The press is one of the pillars of the democratic system in Indonesia. In the course of the nation's journey, the press in Indonesia has experienced many dynamics, ranging from a very hostile situation for the development of the press, such as during the movement era or the New Order, to a period of extraordinary transformation when democratization occurred in Indonesia in 1998. The birth of Law No. 40 of 1999 marked a new era for the development of the country's press. However, after a 20-year journey in the reform era, the press, in the context of democracy, did not develop as expected by the people. A few years after the reformation, the press was co-opted by big investors (oligarchs) who turned the press, especially the mainstream media, into a mouthpiece for their interests and political views. Basically, these oligarchs are also an integral part of the political elite in this country. Therefore, the role of the press should be to bear the spirit of responsibility for the process of educating the public, in accordance with the spirit of Pancasila, in order to realize the Indonesian people in accordance with the ideals of the Indonesian nation.