The Role of Digital Media in Political Power and Information Polarization in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v10n1.p157-179Keywords:
Digital Media, Coalition Dominance, Democratic Backsliding, PolarizationAbstract
Digital media in Indonesia play a dual role in post-Reformasi democracy: facilitating political participation while simultaneously reinforcing the dominance of ruling coalitions. Concentrated media ownership among political and business elites aligned with government actors produces systematic reporting biases, favoring government narratives and marginalizing opposition voices. Social media dynamics further amplify information polarization through algorithm-driven echo chambers and the dissemination of manipulative content. This study examines how digital media contributed to coalition dominance, weakened opposition, and accelerated democratic backsliding during Indonesia’s 2024 electoral cycle. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative analyses measure coalition dominance and opposition fragmentation alongside media bias, disinformation, and polarization, while qualitative analyses explore narratives, strategies, and discourse that normalize transactional politics. Findings indicate that media-driven narrative control consolidates ruling coalitions, limits pluralistic public discourse, and intensifies polarization. The study highlights the duality of digital media as both a tool for political engagement and a mechanism that can undermine substantive democratic quality
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