Minister of Communication and Informatics, Budi Arie Setiadi, has revealed that the draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on Publisher Rights is set to be ratified soon.
“The government will soon pass a policy that encourages a level playing field on digital issues. The draft Publisher Rights aims to initiate cooperation between media companies and digital platforms based on legal clarity,” Budi said on the National Mass Media Convention as part of the commemoration of National Press Day on Monday, February 19, 2024.
There are three main points in the presidential regulation on the Publisher Rights. First, to codify existing cooperation practices. Second, to encourage more balanced interactions between digital platforms and press companies. Third, to provide press companies, regardless of their scale, with the opportunity to enhance collaboration with digital platforms.
Budi said the government had the authority to present a fair, accountable, secure, and innovative digital environment to create a fair playing field in the national digital ecosystem. He also reminded the Press Council to prepare follow-up actions after this draft presidential regulation is ratified.
“Once ratified, the committee that implements this Perpres needs to be formed immediately. We will try a six-month transition period and take follow-up actions from the president’s designation,” he said.
The government continues to strive for affirmative policies, especially in facing information and communication technology disruptions. Budi emphasized that the draft presidential regulation is not intended to undermine the sustainability of industry players but rather to strengthen it.
He said the press is currently facing three global challenges in the era of technological disruption: digitization of journalism, the influence of social media, and the threat of artificial intelligence (AI).
In addition, he also outlined the use of AI in journalistic practices, including assisting back-office tasks, facilitating content creation, and distributing content across various platforms.
“However, the adoption of this technology gives rise to news avoidance, so the press must do its best to maintain credibility as a source of information,” he said.
According to him, steps to address these challenges can begin with innovating the media business process to stay competitive, adopting new technologies, upskilling employees, and innovating in the face of new trends to develop long-term journalism careers.
