Forum Pemred Pushes Tax Incentives for Media Industry as Finance Minister Urges Stronger Criticism
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Forum Pemred calls for tax incentives to strengthen the media industry as Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa urges newsroom leaders to provide more critical oversight to support stable economic growth.
Retno Pinasti, who chairs the national editors association, said the media sector needs targeted incentives to sustain operations and ensure the public continues to receive accurate and educational information.
She highlighted an initiative called No tax for knowledge, which aims to secure tax relief for verified newsrooms committed to rigorous journalism.
Retno said such incentives would help sustain news organizations and protect the nation’s access to trusted information for future generations.
Purbaya responded by stressing that a more critical press was essential for maintaining economic stability.
He argued that the recent downturn in media business performance was partly caused by a lack of critical commentary on government policies during periods of economic slowdown.
According to Purbaya, constructive criticism helps policymakers prevent missteps and strengthens economic resilience.
“I told them, you said journalism and media businesses are falling. That is because there were not enough protests when the economy weakened, and you stayed silent. Going forward, you must criticize and give input so the economy does not fall again,” he said.
Purbaya said journalists also carried responsibility for ensuring Indonesia did not repeat past episodes of economic slowdown.
He emphasized that criticism was part of a collective effort to safeguard growth.
During the event, Purbaya also projected Indonesia's economic growth for 2026 to reach around 6 percent, citing improving momentum toward the end of 2025.
He estimated that fourth-quarter growth in 2025 could reach between 5.5 percent and 5.7 percent as domestic activity accelerated.