The Press Council was first established in 1968 based on Law No. 11 Year 1966 on the Press Principal Provisions signed by President Soekarno on December 12, 1966. At that time the Press Council, according to Article 6 paragraph (1) Law No.11/1966, functioned to assist the government to nurture the growth and development of the national press together. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Press Council lead by Minister of Information (Article 7 paragraph (1)).

The New Order Government by the Act No. 21 Year 1982 on the Amendment of the Law Number 11 Year 1966 on the Pers Principal Provisions as amended by the Law No. 4 of 1967, signed by President Suharto on September 20 1982 --- did not change the existence of the Press Council. The position and function remained the same: more to as the adviser to the government, especially the Ministry of Information, meanwhile, Minister of Information also still as the Chairman of the Press Council.

Amendments according to the Law no. 21/1982 is the representation of the various elements in the membership of the Press Council. Article 6 paragraph (2) of Law no. 21/1982 states "Members of the Press Council consists of the press organizations, government and community representatives experts in press and other area". The previous Act explained only "members of the Press Council consists of the press organizations and the press experts ".

Fundamental change occurred in 1999, along with the change of power from the New Order to Reform Order by the Act No. 40 Year 1999 on Press enacted on September 23, 1999 and signed by President Bacharudin Jusuf Habibie, the Press Council became Independent. Article 15 paragraph (1) of the Press Law states " an independent Press Council was established in order to develop freedom of the press and improve the national press ".

The function of the independent Press Council is no longer as a government adviser but to protect of the freedom of the press. Structural relationship between the Press Council and the government was eliminated, and was highlighted by the dissolution of the Ministry of Information by President Abdurrahman Wahid in 1999. No more government representative in the membership of the Press Council as it was during the New Order. Although the members of the Press Council assigned by the Presidential Decree, no more government intervention towards the institutional or membership of the independent Press Council. The chairman and the vice chairman of the Press Council is no longer included in the Presidential Decree but was decided by all members of the Press Council in the Plenary Meeting.

According to the Article 15 paragraph (3) of the Press Law, the independent members of Press Council is elected democratically every three years, consisting of: "(a) The journalist who was chosen by the journalists' organization, (b) The head of the press company chosen by the press company organization, and (c) community leaders, press and/or communications experts and other fields selected by the journalists organization of and the press company organizations.” *

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