Radio Broadcasting and Indonesian Nationalism: During the Last Decade of Dutch Colonialism

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses how radio during the last decade of Dutch colonial era had served as an agent of nationalism in Indonesia. This paper applies a literature study using a historical approach that focused on Soloche Radio Vereeniging (SRV) and the Eastern Radio network, which were operational from the 1930s to the 1940s. The results suggest that SRV and Eastern Radio network during the Dutch colonial period served as tools of cultural resistance against the domination of European culture. Radio broadcasting was an alternative form of cultural diplomacy that promoted the birth of Indonesia, which had become free from colonialism.

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Darmanto

DARMANTO. Senior researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency of the Republic of Indonesia and Program Manager at Rumah Perubahan Lembaga Penyiaran Publik (Indonesian Public Broadcasting Clearing House). His research interests are broadcasting; rights to public information access; and communication policies.

Masduki

MASDUKI. Associate Professor at the Department of Communication, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He earned his doctoral degree at the Institute of Communication Studies and Media Research (IfKW), University of Munich, Germany (2019). Masduki has a particular interest in media policy, journalism, comparative media and broadcasting systems. His recent book entitled: Public Service Broadcasting and Post-Authoritarian Indonesia (Palgrave McMillan, 2020).

Hari Wiryawan

HARI WIRYAWAN. Senior lecturer of radio journalism at Department of Communication, Universitas Sahid, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. He wrote a book entitled, “Mangkunegoro VII and the Beginning of Indonesian Broadcasting (2011).