The World Cup and the Homework of National Broadcasting

In less than 60 days, the grand tournament of world football, the FIFA World Cup 2026, will officially take place. In Indonesia, the broadcasting institution that has officially obtained the broadcasting rights for this grand event is the Public Broadcasting Institution (LPP) TVRI. As a public television that, in principle, does not pursue profit, the presence of TVRI brings joy to the community. Moreover, in its official statement, the management of TVRI and members of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives confirmed that the broadcast will be free of charge.

However, the joy is not complete without a definite answer to the important question: can all people really enjoy these supposedly free broadcasts, including those who live in digital broadcast blank spots?

Football fans in the homeland have reason to cheer. This is the first time in several recent editions that the broadcasting rights for the World Cup are no longer monopolized by private television stations focused on profit. TVRI, as a public broadcasting institution, comes with a mandate to serve the public interest, not merely to generate profit.

The facts show that no other broadcasting institution in Indonesia can compete with TVRI, especially in terms of the number of broadcast transmitters. TVRI far outperforms other broadcasters in terms of audience reach. TVRI's presence as the broadcasting rights holder provides a breath of fresh air for those who have previously lacked free-to-air access to world football broadcasts on private television. With so many TVRI broadcast transmitters, the public will have an easier time enjoying World Cup coverage.

The ownership of broadcasting rights by TVRI is a tangible manifestation of the mandate of Law Number 32 of 2002 concerning Broadcasting, which requires public broadcasting institutions to provide informative, educational, and entertaining programs for all segments of society without discrimination. In this context, the World Cup, which is primarily a form of entertainment, can also serve as a unifying event for the nation.

The euphoria over the free broadcast of TVRI will encounter technical realities in the field. There are at least two fundamental questions that have yet to be thoroughly answered by the management of TVRI.

First, what about the fate of people in digital broadcasting blank spots? The migration from analog to digital (ASO) broadcasting has been completed nationally since 2022. However, on the ground, infrastructure readiness remains uneven. In several regions of eastern Indonesia, including most of Gorontalo, TVRI broadcasts have not yet fully reached all areas.

Second, if TVRI ends up having to collaborate with over-the-top (OTT) platforms or streaming applications to expand its audience reach in the blank spot zone, will the broadcasts remain free or will there be a potential subscription fee?

The experience from previous World Cup editions records that collaboration with OTT often serves as a backdoor for the commercialization of broadcasts. In fact, TVRI, as a public institution, is bound by non-commercial principles. Furthermore, in securing broadcasting rights, TVRI utilizes public funds through the state budget.

Therefore, the public has the right to get clarity, whether collaborating with the World Cup streaming service on TVRI's partner platform will be free, or will it repeat the pay-per-view scheme of private TV?

If TVRI fails to answer this challenge, the slogan "World Cup for All" will be just a mere slogan.

The relatively short lead-up to the World Cup has resulted in slow penetration of digital broadcast transmitters in broadcasting blind spots. With less than two months left, it seems difficult to cover the existing blind spots.

Nevertheless, efforts to expand the reach of broadcasting should not stop merely at the momentum of the World Cup. Beyond that, the spirit to broaden the broadcasting reach for the public must continue to be maximized, especially in terms of budget support for the development of terrestrial-based digital broadcasting infrastructure.

The momentum of TVRI as the broadcaster of this World Cup tournament also presents an opportunity to revive the spirit of television viewing among the public. Recently, television, including its broadcast programs and supporting broadcasting infrastructure, has become less popular and has not received significant public support.

Perhaps this is the time for our national broadcasting system to return to its essence as a medium of information, entertainment, education, and social cohesion. Most importantly, our government must take the matter of national sovereignty in the broadcasting sector seriously, not remaining passive in the face of the high penetration of digital platforms that often neglect the nation's morality.

Abdul Rajak Babuntai, Deputy Chairman of the Gorontalo Province KPID