The Influence of Japanese Colonialism on Post-Independence Indonesian Radio

Abstract

This paper revisits the history of Indonesian broadcasting, focusing particularly on the broadcasting model implemented during the Japanese occupation (1942–1945) and its influence on broadcast organizations in the post-independence era. Taking into consideration four elements of broadcast governance—remit, structure, ownership, and funding—this study examines how the Japanese colonial model of radio became the model used by the Radio of the Republic of Indonesia. Examining the broadcast policies of colonial Japan and post-independence Indonesia, this paper finds policy connections between these countries’ broadcast systems. Japanese colonial policy remained evident in the management of Indonesia’s radio in the early independence era, particularly in the use of autocratic political propaganda and centralized control of media content. Even today, the military media of colonial Japan continues to influence how broadcasters serve Indonesia’s national interests. This paper fills the gap in the literature on how Japanese colonialism has affected broadcast systems of Asia.