Public broadcasting in Indonesia
Public Broadcasting Institutions in Indonesia currently consists of three separate entities: Radio Republik Indonesia, Televisi Republik Indonesia, and Local Public Broadcasting Institutions. This classification is based on Act No. 32 of 2002 on Broadcasting, followed by Government Regulation No. 11 of 2005 on the Broadcasting Provision of Public Broadcasting Institutions.
According to Act No. 32 of 2002, a "public broadcasting institution" is defined as a "legal entity established by the state; independent, neutral, not commercial; and function to provide services for the public benefit."
Funding for broadcasters, as stated in Act No. 32 of 2002, comes from several sources, including broadcasting fees, the annual state budget, community contributions, advertisements, and other legal efforts related to their broadcasting operations. While the annual budget appropriation for RRI and TVRI is approved by the national government and parliament, the annual budget for LPPL is approved by the respective local government and local parliament. Funding sources for RRI and TVRI outside the annual budget are currently classified as "non-tax state revenue" and are regulated by government regulations.
National broadcasters
The national-scale public broadcasters are RRI, the national radio network, and TVRI, the national television network.RRI and TVRI were initially established as corporations separate from the central government but were later incorporated into the Department of Information in 1946 and 1975, respectively. Concerns about repositioning RRI and TVRI as public broadcasters grew after the Reformation period. These concerns culminated in 2000, during Abdurrahman Wahid's administration, when the Department of Information was dissolved. This led to RRI and TVRI being gradually removed from direct government control..
In the same year, RRI and TVRI were restructured as service corporations under the Ministry of Finance. TVRI was subsequently reorganized as a state-owned enterprise in 2002, and both broadcasters officially became independent public service broadcasters in 2005.RRI was established on 11 September 1945. It currently operates four radio networks: RRI Pro 1, RRI Pro 2, RRI Pro 3, and RRI Pro 4, which are carried by some or all of its almost 100 local stations (including small-scale stations). RRI Pro 3 functions as a centralized programming network. Additionally, RRI operates an international radio service, Voice of Indonesia.TVRI began public broadcasts on 24 August 1962, coinciding with the opening day of the 1962 Asian Games, following a trial broadcast during the 1962 Indonesian Independence Day celebrations. TVRI currently operates three national television channels—TVRI, TVRI World, and TVRI Sport—as well as 35 regional stations across the country.
A proposed new broadcasting act currently under development aims to merge RRI and TVRI into a single entity called RTRI.
Local broadcasters
Local public broadcasting institutions refer to local public broadcasters that are not owned or operated by RRI or TVRI. These broadcasters are sometimes, but not always, located in cities, regencies, or provinces without an existing RRI or TVRI station. According to Government Regulation No. 11 of 2005, LPPL broadcasters are required to network with RRI and TVRI.Before the Reformation, several radio stations were owned and operated by city or regency governments. These stations were known as Local Government Broadcast Radio. Examples include RSPD Top FM in Sukoharjo, Central Java, which began broadcasting in 1968, and RSPD Berau in Berau, East Kalimantan, which first aired in 1975.
There were no local government-owned television stations at the time, as all government-owned television operations, including local stations, were managed by TVRI. Act No. 32 of 2002 introduced the term "local public broadcasting institutions," aiming to transform local government media into public broadcasters. This transformation was later regulated by Government Regulation No. 11 of 2005.
Currently, there are several local public broadcaster unions in the country, such as the All-Indonesia Radio and Television LPPL Association, which was formed in 2018, and the Indonesian Local Public Radio and TV Association, branded as Persada.id or Indonesiapersada.id, which was formed in 2019.