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PEOPLE’S MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION RIGHTS

IN INDONESIA AND THE PHILIPPINES

Ubonrat Siriyuvasak30 July 2013

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People’s Media and Communication Rights

Some namesSome namespeople’s media alternative media citizens’ mediaradical media

medias libresparticipatory mediacommunity mediagrassroots media

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People’s Media

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

small independent non-commercial non-profit

ActivitiesActivities

media activismradicalismunderground alternative media activities

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Citizens’ Media

Citizens’ media articulates the metamorphic transformation of alternative mediaparticipants (community media or alternative media) into active citizens.

Citizens’ media is a concept that accounts for the processes of empowerment, conscienti-zation, and fragmentation of power.

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Citizens’ Media

Men, women, and youth gain access to and re-claim their own media. As they use media to re-constitute their own cultural codes to name the world in their own terms.

Citizens’ media participants disrupt power relationships, exercise their own agency, and re-constitute their own lives, futures, and cultures (Rodriguez 2004, 18).

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To struggle for the right to speak To gain freedom of association, idea and expression To resist and criticizeTo oppose state terror, injustice and oppressionTo be heard and understood by the public and by the ‘established power’

People’s Media

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Communication Rights

Bill of RightsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19national constitution

People’s Communication Charter

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People’s Communication Charter

The People’s Communication Charter called for a shift of the concept of communication and media in which communication contribute to the ‘empowerment’ of people and the improvement of the communication environment

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People’s Media Organization

Who are they ?Media Democratization Activist

The mission (locally and globally) To achieve a more democratic media culture To strive for democratic media structure

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Media Democratization Activism (1)

influencing content and practices of mainstream media

advocating for reform of government policy/regulation of media in order to change the very structure of media institutions

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Media Democratization Activism (2)

building independent, democratic and participatory media to give voice to the marginalized

changing the relationship between audiences and media, chiefly by empowering audiences to be more critical of hegemonic media

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Indonesia From political press to commercial pressFrom political press to commercial press

during Soeharto’s ‘new order’ (1966-during Soeharto’s ‘new order’ (1966-1998)1998)

‘neutralized’ and ‘depoliticized’ institutionalized into the modernization scheme centralization to Java publishing license, Surat Ijin Usaha Penerbitan Pers (SIUPP) or Press Publication Enterprise Permit

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Press resistance in Press resistance in Soeharto’s ‘Soeharto’s ‘New OrderNew Order’’

1994 >1994 >journalist union–Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) or the Alliance of Independent Journalist

Institut Studi Arus Informasi (ISAI) or the Institute of the Studies of Free Flow of Information

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Underground pressUnderground press

Independen (Independent) > Suara Independen (Voice of Independence), Xpos (Expose) AJI News (on the internet)Siar (Broadcast) TNI Watch (Army Watch) ‘Apakabar’ (on the internet)

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ReformasiReformasi and People’s and People’s

MediaMedia 1998 >1998 >

New press freedom after ‘May Tragedy’ 1998legal reform

New Press Law (1999)New Broadcasting Law (2002)

Ministry of Information abolished

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Community Radio Community Radio (1)(1)

‘Angkringan Radio’ and ‘Angkringan Newsletter’ (Yogyakarta)

Angkringan means a small food and drink stall, the popular road side café, for the community. It is an open forum where information exchange and communication take place Angkringan : monitor local governmentAngkringan : new channel of independent and participatory communication for Timbulharjo

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Community Radio Community Radio (2)(2)

Radio Cibangkong (Bandung)

Mobilizing Cibangkong villagers against corporate encroachment Creating a forum for ‘citizen solidarity’‘peace building’ between youth groups

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Community Radio Community Radio (3)(3)

Balai Budaya Minomartani or Encounter Radio (Sleman)

Cultural forum and community identity empowerment and socio-cultural integration between religious and ethnic groups

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Radio News NetworkRadio News Network

Radio News Agency 68H > 68H Radio

‘Independen, Bisa Dipercaya’ or ‘independent and trustworthy’ Networking news to 400 stations in Indonesia

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Neighbourhood Internet Neighbourhood Internet NetworkNetwork

Community-based internet network using wireless internet technology

Creating a a broad bottom-up internet infrastructureCreating consciousness on communication right through the process of self-learning technology

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The PhilippinesThe Philippines

Nationalist Movement (19th century)

The Propaganda Movement ‘La Solidaridad’Jose Rizal’s novels

Noli Me Tangere El Filibusterismo

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Alternative press and popular opposition

Ferdinand Marcos and Martial Law (1972)

Strict censorship ‘independent press’ transformed into ‘crony press’

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Mosquito Press vs Crony Press Mosquito Press vs Crony Press (1983 >)(1983 >)

Mosquito pressMalaya and We Forum (Burgos)Philippine Collegian (UP)Business Day Radio Veritas (Cardinal Sin, Philippine Catholic Church)Mr. & Ms. Special Edition > Weekly Inquirer (Jimenez-Magsanoc)

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The EDSA Revolution (1986)The EDSA Revolution (1986)

Radio Veritas mobilizing the masses against MarcosChannel 4 and 9 were used by Marcos to counter Radio Veritas

alternative radio and newspapers keep demonstrators informed and mobilize people to participate in the People Power movement

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EDSA 2 (2001)EDSA 2 (2001)Multi-media People’s

Revolt Networking of ‘virtual citizens’ (locally and globally)

Texting / SMS (mobile phone)The internet (internet)Mass media (mainstream television, radio)

4-day protests 1-5 millions demonstrators at EDSA & nation wide 1.16 billion text messages across the network

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EDSA 1 – EDSA 2EDSA 1 – EDSA 2

EDSA 1

politician & church organising the public

EDSA 2

Public organising different groups of people from different social backgrounds and political shades

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EDSA 2 & Democratisation of EDSA 2 & Democratisation of communication networkcommunication network

Personal and private communica- tion networks were transformed

into citizen networks and eventually connected to the larger public and politically

active networks of communication and action such

as KOMPIL and BAYAN

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Access to Public Information Access to Public Information and Investigative Journalismand Investigative Journalism

Investigative Reporting

use of public record extensive interviewin-depth and long-term research

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Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

(PCIJ) – 1989

PCIJ information distribution network

http://www.pcij.org‘i-site’ sectioni magazine Limited number of mainstream media

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PCIJ and EDSA 2PCIJ and EDSA 2

Sheila Coronel, PCIJ Executive Director and 2003 Magsaysay Laureate

“by constantly digging for information, by forcing government and the private sector to release documents, and by subjecting officials and other powerful individuals to rigorous questioning, investigative journalists expand the boundaries of what is possible to print or air.”

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People’s Media ActivismPeople’s Media Activism

PCIJ’s investigative reports on President’s Estrada unexplained wealth Media report and television live coverage of the impeachment trialMulti-media networking of information and communication bring about citizen empowerment

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Democratization of Media Structure (1)

People networking, speaking and participating through old and new means of information technologies

Communication which is relevant and dialogic and horizontal in nature

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Democratization of Media Structure (2)

restructuring the political economy of communications infrastructure and cultural environment

People being conscientized and empowered as active citizen