Indonesia’s digital television migration: Controlling multiplexing, tackling competition

Indonesia’s plan for digital TV migration was officially launched in 2011 by the enactment of several Ministerial Regulations. At the beginning of 2015, however, the project had not commenced. This article argues that the policies about multiplexing arrangements have been one of the major obstacles to the transition. Private broadcasting incumbents have been given considerable opportunity to win the ‘beauty contests’ to become multiplex operators. These private multiplex operators have delayed the leasing of their digital TV channels and set excessive rental prices for them as part of their strategies to tackle competition in the era of digital broadcasting. TVRI, the only non-private multiplex operator, faces political and bureaucratic problems and is not yet ready to provide multiplexing services. This study analyses Indonesia’s digital TV policies using data from semi-structured interviews and a review of relevant literature.