Journalism and political affiliation of the media: Influence of ownership on Indonesian newspapers

Using the Model of Hierarchy of Influences on Media Content as its conceptual framework, this study examines the impact of political ownership of newspapers on journalists’ practice of professional values in day-to-day news-reporting activities in Indonesia. Through a survey of newspaper journalists in Jakarta, this study aims to find out whether journalists perceive political ownership as a potential threat to their practice of professional values. The findings show that political ownership of newspapers may not directly affect the practice of professional values but it can affect such a practice indirectly through interventional practices in the newsroom.