CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND PREFERENCES OF JAKARTA RESIDENTS REGARDING DIGITAL TV VIEWING: A SOCIAL AND POLITICAL MEDIA STUDY IN THE ERA OF BROADCASTING DIGITALIZATION

Abstract

The transition from analog to digital television in Indonesia is part of a media transformation that not only impacts broadcasting technology but also influences social structures, media consumption patterns, and the political dynamics of public communication. This study aims to analyze the consumption patterns and preferences of the people of DKI Jakarta regarding digital television viewing and to explain the socio-political implications of the broadcasting digitization process. The study employs a quantitative approach using a survey method involving 242 respondents spread across the DKI Jakarta region. The data were analyzed descriptively and interpretatively using the Diffusion of Innovation perspective and a media politics approach. The research findings indicate that the majority of residents in Jakarta have adopted digital television through the use of set-top boxes (STBs) at a rate of 77.7%, with viewing patterns peaking during prime time from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. News programs are the most popular content, with a viewership rate of 80.3%, indicating that television is still viewed as a credible source of public information amidst the dominance of internet-based media. This study also found that television digitization reinforces the phenomenon of media convergence through the use of multi-screen media and changes in the behavior of urban audiences. From a sociopolitical perspective, the transition to digital television reveals the interplay between government policy, the dominance of major media conglomerates, and disparities in access to technology within the digital public sphere. The novelty of this study lies in its attempt to simultaneously link patterns of digital television consumption with sociopolitical perspectives on media, particularly in the context of Jakarta’s urban population following the digital transition. This study contributes to the development of research on digital communication and the political economy of media in Indonesia.