Indonesian TV networks RCTI and iNews have seen their reputations plummet in light of reports that a judicial review they filed with the Constitutional Court (MK) may put up hurdles for individuals who want to live stream videos on social media. MNC Group, which owns the channels, has come out to allay the concerns.
In May, RCTI and iNews filed a judicial review with MK demanding revisions to Law No. 32/2002 on Broadcast to make OTT media services like Netflix and YouTube be subject to the same regulations as traditional broadcast media.
Information and Communications Ministry (Kominfo) Director General of Post and Informatics Management Ahmad M Ramli on Wednesday told the court that one huge implication of the judicial review, should it be approved, would be that individuals and groups would have to obtain a license to live stream videos on any social media platform.
Amid the storm of public outrage, MNC Group Corporate Legal Director Christopher Taufik denied Kominfo’s assertion, saying that the conglomerate does not intend to stifle social media creativity with the judicial review.
“It’s not true. The judicial review by RCTI and iNews is backed by our desire to birth treatment and protection for the people of this nation so that they are equal to YouTubers and selebgram [Instagram influencers] from all around the world, as well as pushing them to grow, raise their welfare, and allow them to develop with the times,” Christopher said in an official statement released this morning, as picked up by Kumparan.
Christopher did not outline specific ways to fulfill the objectives in his flowery statement, nor did he categorically deny the live streaming license aspect of the judicial review.
“We are pushing for the broadcast law to synergize with other laws, such as the telecommunications law that regulates infrastructure, the Information and Electronic Transactions Act [UU ITE] that regulates the internet, and the broadcast law, which regulates content and protection for the nation’s creatives, who are behind in development,” he said.
This synergy of laws proposed by MNC Group has already been addressed by Kominfo’s Ahmad Ramli in his testimony as a government expert on the matter. According to him, the judicial review is unnecessary because other laws, including those mentioned by Christopher above and others like the anti-pornography law, already exist to regulate online activities so that they comply with Indonesian standards and laws.
MK is reportedly scheduled to hear further expert opinions from the government on the issue.
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