March 23, 2026 | 03:32 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said foreign investment in Indonesia’s broadcasting and publishing sectors will remain subject to national laws, responding to concerns from the media industry over provisions in the Indonesia–United States reciprocal trade agreement (ART) that are seen as potentially opening the door to broader foreign ownership in those sectors.
Under existing regulations, foreign ownership limits are already clearly defined. Indonesia’s Broadcasting Law caps foreign ownership in private broadcasting institutions at 20 percent.
Meanwhile, the Press Law stipulates that any additional foreign capital in press companies must be raised through the capital market, with the explanatory notes stressing that foreign ownership must not become a majority stake.
Prabowo said the Indonesia–U.S. trade agreement still respects the domestic laws in force in each country. That, he said, includes Indonesian regulations governing foreign ownership in broadcasting and media companies.
“In the ART, there is a clause that respects the law applicable in each country,” Prabowo said during a discussion forum with journalists and experts at his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
The Gerindra Party chairman said his administration was working to ensure the agreement remains aligned with Indonesia’s national interests. He also stressed that any deal signed between Indonesia and the United States must continue to respect the laws in force in both countries.
Prabowo added that the ART has not yet been ratified by the House of Representatives (DPR), meaning the agreed provisions are still subject to further review and possible renegotiation.
“There is still a mechanism through DPR ratification. There are still checks and balances. So there are still legal safeguards,” he said.
Prabowo also claimed that he and U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed that adjustments could be made if any provisions were found to conflict with either country’s interests. He said such flexibility was not available to other countries that had entered into similar agreements with the United States.
“But you should believe that I prioritize national interests. Period. If I judge that national interests are threatened by any agreement, yes, we can leave it,” Prabowo said.
The provision on foreign investment in broadcasting and publishing is outlined in Article 2.28 on Limitation of Foreign Investment in Attachment III, Specific Commitments, Part 2 on Non-Tariff Barriers and Related Matters.
The article states that Indonesia would allow unrestricted foreign investment for U.S. investors across a range of sectors, including broadcasting and publishing.
Other sectors covered include mining, fish processing, natural resource-based development projects, ecosystem services, resource efficiency solutions, shipping, land transportation, and financial services.
Critics say the provision could directly affect the sustainability of Indonesia’s media industry by potentially allowing foreign ownership of up to 100 percent in broadcasting and press companies.
They argue that ownership restrictions have long served as a safeguard for editorial independence and national information sovereignty.
Responding to the agreement, Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) chair Nany Afrida said the deal poses a serious threat to the national press.
“With foreign capital potentially being opened up to 100 percent for media, TV, and radio, Indonesian media will be forced to compete freely with outlets backed by majority foreign capital,” Nany said in a press statement issued on February 27, 2026.
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