Indonesian journalists face job losses and weak legal protection ^{CEFR B2}

Journalists in Indonesia are reporting growing problems: unfair working conditions, widespread job losses and weak legal protection. The labour dispute route follows a set sequence. Cases begin with mediation between company and worker. If that fails, the Manpower Office runs a tripartite process and a mediator issues a recommendation. If both sides reject the recommendation, the dispute goes to the Industrial Relations Court and may be appealed to the Supreme Court. These steps can cause long delays for workers seeking pay or reinstatement.

On 27 August 2024, Taufiqurrohman — formerly with CNN Indonesia and now a twice-weekly podcaster — and thirteen colleagues were dismissed after forming a union. Eight of them sued the TV station. Trans Media Corpora filed an appeal, which requires both sides to wait another 155 days. The ten-month dispute left some workers without wages and struggling to feed their families; a judge denied an interim injunction for wages. Global Voices contacted CNN Indonesia and Trans Media Corpora and received no response.

In a separate case, Bethriq Kindy Arrazy and five other journalists were dismissed without notice by PT Portal Media Nusantara; the employer proposed resolving the disagreement in court. The Press Council says it cannot intervene in labour disputes because it lacks jurisdiction, though its Legal and Legislation Commission chair says the council is under pressure to pay more attention. Advocacy groups, including the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), report many journalists earn less than the Regional Minimum Wage, are paid per story, lack job and health insurance, and face freelancer exploitation. Ikhsan Raharjo of SINDIKASI links these issues to the Job Creation Law. On 31 October 2024, the Constitutional Court invalidated the law's labour clauses and ordered lawmakers to pass a new Labour Law within two years. SINDIKASI has negotiated Collective Labour Agreements since 9 November 2022 and estimates more than two hundred freelance journalists and interns have benefited.

• At least 1,200 media workers were dismissed between 2023 and 2024, says the Press Council.
• The AJI reports 10 media outlets let go of more than 885 workers by July 2025.
• Indonesia’s democracy index in 2025 is 6.44; World Press Freedom rank is 127 out of 180 (down 16 places).
• Reuters Institute: 57 percent get news online or via social media; TikTok reaches 34 percent; 18 percent pay for online news.

Advocacy leaders say platforms such as Google, TikTok and Meta should help news media and share revenue. They argue such measures would improve the welfare of Indonesian journalists during a difficult period for the media industry.