Indonesia is awaiting the ratification of the revised Broadcasting Law, an important milestone in transforming the national media ecosystem, with crucial change being the legitimacy of State-run radio station RRI as the first national digital radio broadcaster to broadcast free-to-air. 

Behind the legislation formality, this change is a reflection of old anxieties about how radio, as a local medium full of history, will remain relevant amidst the flood of audiovisual content and the dominance of global social media.

“Radio is local. Its main strength is its closeness to the community. Unlike television which is national in nature,” RRI President Director Ignatius Hendrasmo said in an interview with Indonesia Business Post at his office in Jakarta on Monday, April 28, 2025.

In a socio-political situation that continues to change, radio is still considered a media platform that is able to respond to the information needs of residents in the regions, from Sorong, West Papua to Borong-Borong at the tip of Sumatra.

The new Broadcasting Law opens up opportunities for consolidation and integration across media. RRI as a public broadcasting institution now has the legitimacy to build an efficient digital ecosystem, uniting radio, television, and online content on one multimedia platform.

“This is the era. We must not be left behind again. This transformation is about courage and readiness to face disruption,” Hendrasmo said.

Digital transformation is not just a modernization of tools, but a redefinition of the role of state media amidst a crisis of public trust in information. At a time when algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) dominate content production, credibility and verification − basic values of journalism − are becoming expensive. This is where, according to public media activists, radio can rediscover its relevance.

Data shows that 46 percent of Indonesians still listen to the radio, with around 17 million active users via mobile devices. However, the challenges ahead cannot be denied. Conventional radio station is slowly abandoned. Only radio station that is able to adopt a digital-local model has the chance to survive.

"Now, our listeners no longer sit in front of analog devices. They stream, choose content according to their interests. Radio has become more segmented, more personal, and that opens up new economic space," Hendrasmo said.

Paradigm change

Radio digitalization has also reopened old discussions about copyright, bureaucratic efficiency, and how the State responds to technological developments. Unlike China that have integrated their public media into one large entity, such as the China Media Group, Indonesia is considered slow to respond to technological change. The long legislative process and fragmentation of regulations make the transition not as fast as needed.

"We are catching up on two decades of lag. But this is momentum. Don't let the bureaucracy be slow again in adjusting regulations to digital reality," he said.

The enactment of the Broadcasting Law also means reopening a fundamental debate: What is the public interest? What is the role of the state in ensuring fair and credible access to information in the era of algorithms? And most importantly − what does it mean to be State media today?

“Now it is no longer about being a mouthpiece for the State. But how public media can become the foundation of democratic communication, which supports the vision of development and remains competitive in the global digital landscape,” Hendrasmo said.

Career path

Hendrasmo did not start his career in bureaucracy, but as an academic and journalist, including being a contributor to BBC Indonesia. His experience with the BBC not only gave him an understanding of international journalism, but also introduced him to principles of independent and professional public broadcasting.

He continued his education in political communication and broadcasting in the Netherlands and England, expanding his global perspective on media.

Under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Application, RRI is part of a rigid but vital government system. Realizing the complexity, Hendrasmo acknowledged that the main challenge is not only about technology and content, but also about transformation of work culture within the bureaucracy.

"I have never worked in a bureaucracy before, but I learned how it works. The challenges are not only structural, but also cultural," he said.

One of Hendrasmo's focuses is the digitalization of RRI. Under his leadership, RRI is pushing for a transformation into the first national digital radio broadcaster that is free-to-air, in accordance with the mandate stipulated inthe Broadcasting Law.

He believes that the future of radio is not just about surviving, but evolving −becoming a media platform that is locally relevant, but digitally resilient.

He also emphasized the importance of understanding the philosophy and practice of leadership in facing changing times. "Leadership is not about position, but about understanding problems and knowing how to overcome them," he said.

Although carrying a reformist spirit, Hendrasmo is also realistic about the systemic obstacles faced by public media such as RRI, including limited human resources, a rigid civil servant (ASN) structure, and fundamental differences between public broadcasting institutions in developed countries and Indonesia.

However, amidst these challenges, Ignatius Hendrasmo remains steadfast in his vision: to make RRI not just a historical legacy, but also a pillar of modern public communication that supports democracy, national development, and information sovereignty in the digital era.