Right of Reply and Right of Correction in Indonesian Press Law
What Indonesia's Press Law says about the right of reply and right of correction, the Press Council guidelines, the time limit, grounds for refusal, and online rules.
In Indonesian press law, the right of reply (hak jawab) is the right of a person or group to respond to or rebut factual reporting that harms their reputation. The right of correction (hak koreksi) is the right of anyone to correct inaccurate information published by the press, whether about themselves or others. Both are set out in Law Number 40 of 1999 on the Press, and every press company in Indonesia is required to honour them.
For communication teams in government agencies, state-owned enterprises, and companies, these two rights are the formal route for setting an inaccurate story straight. This article explains what they mean, their legal basis, how they differ, and their limits, so teams know when a right of reply is relevant and when it is not.
Legal basis of the right of reply and right of correction
The rules are spread across several complementary instruments.
|
Instrument |
Relevant content |
|---|---|
|
Press Law, Article 1 points 11 and 12 |
Definitions of the right of reply and right of correction |
|
Press Law, Article 1 point 13 |
Obligation to correct: the press must correct or retract untrue information |
|
Press Law, Article 5 paragraphs 2 and 3 |
The press must serve the right of reply and the right of correction |
|
Press Law, Article 18 paragraph 2 |
A press company that fails to serve the right of reply can be fined up to IDR 500,000,000 |
|
Journalistic Code of Ethics, Articles 10 and 11 |
Journalists promptly correct inaccurate news with an apology, and serve replies and corrections proportionally |
|
Press Council regulation on Right of Reply Guidelines |
How replies are submitted and published, grounds for refusal, and the time limit |
|
Cyber Media Reporting Guidelines |
Online corrections and replies must be linked to the original story |
Note that the fine in Article 18 paragraph 2 applies to the press company, not to individual journalists.
Right of reply vs right of correction vs obligation to correct
The three terms are often used interchangeably, but they differ in who holds them and what they cover.
|
Aspect |
Right of reply |
Right of correction |
Obligation to correct |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Held by |
The party harmed by the story |
Anyone |
The press |
|
Content |
A response or rebuttal to facts that harm a reputation |
A fix for inaccurate information |
A retraction of untrue information |
|
Example |
An agency responds to a story calling its programme stalled |
A reader points out that a budget figure is wrong |
The newsroom fixes a misspelled official's name |
In short, the right of reply concerns the interests of the party reported on, the right of correction concerns accuracy, and the obligation to correct is the newsroom's responsibility even when nobody asks.
Key provisions of the Right of Reply Guidelines
The Press Council's Right of Reply Guidelines contain several provisions that people in the news are often unaware of.
- Submitted directly to the outlet concerned, with a copy to the Press Council. Submissions may be written, including in digital form.
- Free of charge. Outlets may not charge for publishing a reply.
- Served as soon as possible, or at the first opportunity. For print, no later than two editions after the newsroom receives it. For television and radio, in the next programme.
- Valid for two months. A right of reply lapses if it is not submitted within two months of publication, unless both parties agree otherwise.
- Disputes are settled by the Press Council when the outlet and the harmed party cannot agree on how the reply is handled.
When an outlet may refuse a reply
The obligation to serve a reply does not mean an outlet must publish anything it receives. The guidelines give four grounds for refusing the content of a reply:
- Its length, duration, or character count exceeds the story in question.
- It contains facts unrelated to the story.
- Publishing it could break the law.
- It conflicts with the legally protected interests of a third party.
An effective reply is therefore usually short, refers directly to the disputed part of the story, and offers counter-facts rather than a new press release or a programme promotion.
Right of reply in online media
Online news is easily republished and stays in search results for a long time. The Cyber Media Reporting Guidelines set three rules that make online replies different from print:
- Corrections, retractions, and replies must be linked to the story they correct or respond to.
- The time a correction or reply was published must be shown.
- A correction made by one online outlet must also be made by other online outlets that quoted the story.
The last point matters for communication teams. One inaccurate story is often copied by dozens of regional news sites within hours. Knowing which outlets republished it is a precondition for a complete correction, not just at the original outlet.
Replies, corrections, and organisational reputation
A right of reply is not a tool for removing negative coverage. Fact-based criticism is legitimate news, and the right response to it is clarification or a policy fix, not a reply. A right of reply is relevant when facts are wrong or a reputation is harmed without basis.
Timing often decides the outcome. Two months sounds long, but an unmonitored story can spread widely before the team notices. Organisations that monitor coverage daily have a better chance of responding while the story is fresh, when a reply has the most impact. This pattern is discussed further in crisis communication early warning.
Qola helps communication teams monitor national and regional online news and expert statements about their organisation, with sentiment labels and a list of outlets carrying the same issue. Teams can see which story is inaccurate, who published it first, and where it spread. See Qola's features or solutions for government agencies.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For a specific press dispute, refer to the official text of the regulations on the Press Council website or consult a press law expert.
Cover photo: Digital Content Writers India via Unsplash. The photo is an illustration, not documentation of a Qola customer.
FAQ about the right of reply and right of correction
What is the difference between the right of reply and the right of correction?
The right of reply belongs to the party harmed by a story, to respond to or rebut facts that damage their reputation. The right of correction belongs to anyone, to fix inaccurate information, including information about other people.
What is the deadline for submitting a right of reply?
Under the Press Council's Right of Reply Guidelines, a reply lapses if it is not submitted within two months of publication, unless the outlet and the harmed party agree otherwise.
Are outlets required to publish a reply?
Yes. The Press Law requires the press to serve the right of reply, and a press company that fails to do so can be fined up to IDR 500 million. However, an outlet may refuse a reply that is longer than the original story, unrelated, unlawful, or harmful to a third party.
Can a right of reply be used to remove a story?
No. A reply is published as a response to the story, and online it must be linked to the original. The original story remains, so readers can see both sides.
Where do you complain if a reply is not served?
Disputes over the right of reply are settled by the Press Council. A complaint should include the story, proof that the reply was submitted, and the outlet's response if any.