Ministry of Communications Pushes for Massive Control, Censorship Over Digital Broadcast Content

JAKARTADAILY.ID – The Minister of Communications and Information Johnny G. Plate asked the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission as a quasi-government institution to play a larger role in supervising digital broadcast content.

The national television broadcasting industry recently entered a new era through the migration of analog to digital broadcasts in a government program dubbed the "Analog Switch Off" (ASO).

“(The) Indonesian Broadcasting Comission (is tasked) to ensure high quality broadcast content. Because we have entered digital TV, (with) more content, more channels, (and) wider creativity," said Johnny G. Plate after attending the 2022 KPI National Coordination Meeting at Nusantara Hall 1 ICE BSD City, Tangerang on Monday, November 7, 2022 .

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Minister Johnny encouraged the Central Broadcasting Commission and Regional Broadcasting Commissions to play a larger role in supervising digital broadcast content.

"This is where KPI's role is to ensure and maintain that broadcast content is in line with our regulations, culture, educational, positive and useful for the Indonesian people," said Johnny G. Plate in a press release.

The Minister of Communications invites the entire community and multiplexing providers (MUX) as television companies to remain optimistic about the success of the ASO program.

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According to him, this "optimistic attitude" is in line with the theme of the 2022 KPI National Coordination Meeting "Strengthening the Nation's Optimism through Broadcasting."

“We must continue to build optimism, we must build public trust and confidence. Don't let us just stop at endless debates and then just waste energy," said Johnny G. Plate.

According to Minister Johnny, the Ministry of Communications will provide further assitance for the community to transition from analog to digital tv in the Jakarta, Bogor, Bekasi and Tanggerang area.

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"We have now entered the group of countries that carry out our commitments at the International Telecommunication Union," Johnny G. Plate explained.

To ensure the monitoring system runs well, KPI relies on complaints from the public.