Media Development in the Tsunami Aftermath in Indonesia

This paper describes the rise of emergency and community radio stations following the December 2004 Tsunami.
The author describes how more than a dozen
radio stations were taken off the air by the Tsunami, and how new stations
quickly arose to fill the need for information following the disaster.



Suara Aceh, or Voice of Aceh, was founded
as an emergency station, and funded by the local
private radio stations association (PRSSNI).
Assisted by staff from the stations that had closed, Suara Aceh provided
both news and messages from survivors to family members. The goal of this
station was to fill a void until the private stations were back on the air.



Sixteen community stations followed, with some support from non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), political parties or local government. These stations now
compete with commercial stations that have gone back on the air.



The author credits a 2002 change in broadcasting law with aiding the
proliferation of community radio in Indonesia. This law recognised a variety of
"broadcasting institutions such as private, subscription (cable) and
community broadcasting, in addition to state broadcasting". The local
stations have also, the author argues, provided a new avenue for advertising
agencies to reach local populations without going through national agencies who
may be hesitant to work in the area.



The author recognises some problems faced by radio in this area, including a
small listening population following the Tsunami, low advertising revenue, and a
number of journalists either dead or missing since the disaster. In response to
the shortage of trained personnel, three international organisations are
training local journalists.