Singgih Wiryono, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – The Press Council in its end of year notes has highlighted Indonesia's Press Freedom Index (IKP) which declined from a score of 71.57 in 2023 to 69.36 in 2024.
Press Council Chairperson Ninik Rahayu explained that there were two factors that caused the decline in the IKP. "First, there is still violence against journalists, secondly the media dependence on local governments", she said in a press statement on Tuesday December 31.
Rahayu explained that based on data from the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), there were 69 cases of violence against journalists in 2024, including the burning of the Pakuan Raya media office in Bogor, West Java, not long ago.
In addition to this, the Press Council also highlighted the proposed revisions to the Broadcasting Law (RUU Penyiaran) which have been referred to as controversial because they are not in line with Press Law Number 40/1999.
The stipulation that is not in accordance with the law is related to prohibitions on the broadcasting of investigative news which is contrary to press freedom.
Rahayu continued saying that another factor that caused the IPK to decline was the discourse on giving the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) the authority to resolve press disputes that should be the authority of the Press Council.
"The Press Council is also concerned and is paying great attention to cases of violence against journalists, for example the death of reporter Rico Sempurna Pasaribu and his three family members in Karo, North Sumatra, as a result of his house being burned down after writing a news report about gambling houses", said Rahayu.
The Press Council also highlighted the alleged involvement of journalist Damar Sinuko in the fatal police shooting of Semarang SMKN 4 State Vocational High School student Gamma R. Oktafandy.
In addition to this, the Press Council also noted that in 2023-2024 there were no less than 1,200 press company employees, including journalists, which were laid off (PHK).
Rahayu said that the business climate in the press industry was not okay because the mass media is no longer the public's main source of news.
The majority, or around 75 percent of national advertising previously going to press companies has been taken over by global digital platforms and social media.
"This is the heaviest challenge for press companies in the future. This situation makes the Press Council concerned and to make various efforts to create a better ecosystem for the life of the press", she said.
The positive news meanwhile is that the Press Council noted that they have conducted a Journalist Competency Test (UKW) for 1,779 press members.
From the results of the UKW, as many as 1,604 press members were declared competent so the total number of journalists certified as of the end of 2024 has reached 30,074 people.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Dewan Pers Soroti Indeks Kemerdekaan Pers Turun pada 2024".]
