The Money Runs Out: Media Commodification by the Government during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between Indonesian television media and the government during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on four television stations namely iNews, Metro TV, TV One, and Trans 7. Informants in this study include members of the Indonesian Journalists Association (AJI), editors-in-chief, and government officials. Using a political economy of media perspective, this study explores how collaboration between media and government affects journalists' independence in presenting news related to the pandemic. Through the concepts of commodification, this study evaluates the involvement of media, audiences, and media workers in the political and economic dynamics that occurred during the global health crisis. This study found that the collaboration that occurred between media and government during the pandemic limited the media's independence, especially in terms of the commodification of content, audience, and workers, turning collaboration into co-optation. The media faced challenges in maintaining editorial autonomy, while commercial demands and government interests often influenced the narratives conveyed to the audience. The results of this study concluded that although the media continued to play a role as a channel for public information, there were limitations in presenting narratives with critical nuances during the pandemic, which were influenced by economic and political pressures.