Screen and faith: Mediatization of religion through docudrama
Article

The background of this current research is the shift in the pattern of fulfilling the need for religiosity. The purpose is to examine the mediatization of faith (religion) through media (docudrama). The research question is how docudrama mediatizes faith. The method applied was rhetorical criticism in communication research. This method signifies text and audience’s reception and corresponds to qualitative textual and reception analysis. This current research particularly adapted Jensen’s (2002) media-audience qualitative reception design. The procedure adapted from Frey, et al. (1999) included selecting Solusi docudrama and viewers’ comments on YouTube channel as data, describing themes by identifying elements and inter-relatedness among scenes, analyzing the salient ideas embedded within the themes, interpreting the narrative structure, and evaluating the persuasive force of messages supported by the viewers’ comments. The findings show that docudrama mediatizes religion by representing the interconnection of notions between religiosity-spirituality and individuality-community, the notions of religion in the dramatization frame, and by producing the audience’s pseudo model of reading. In conclusion, media (docudrama) mediatizes faith (religion) by representing the religious frames from a universal and psychic point of view. Mediatization of faith does not merely meet the needs for religiosity but alters the outlook of religion.

Realizing a Regional Network Broadcasting System to Promote Competitiveness in Local Programming and Fair Broadcasting in Indonesia
Article

The regulation of Indonesia’s broadcasting law No. 32/2002 requires national broadcasting to evolve into a network of local TVs in order to create a system that is democratic. This regulation has not been fully implemented up to now. Thus, an alternative way is needed to solve the problem. Networking initiatives can actually begin at a regional province level in order to improve the coverages, service areas, and the quality of programs of local TVs.

The researcher uses the contructivism paradigm and the descriptive qualitative method to formulate a new design for a networked broadcast system that is in accordance with the conditions, needs, and peculiarities of local TV in Indonesia. The design is the initiation of local TV and is done in stages, beginning with cooperation broadcasting and marketing at regional levels. There are two main obstacles in its implementation: the complexity of the regulation and varying business interests among the TV stakeholders. But with this new design, it is expected that local TVs will greatly benefit since they will have wider coverage areas, bigger audience shares, and increased opportunities for marketing programs.