Obligation to Update the KBLI of Press Companies & Verification Status under SE-DP 01/SE-DP/VIII/2026

Introduction

On 10 August 2026, the Press Council issued Press Council Circular Letter Number 01/SE-DP/VIII/2026 concerning the Updating of Standard Classification of Indonesian Business Fields (KBLI) Numbers for the Legal Entities of Press Companies ("SE 01/2026"). SE 01/2026 regulates the updating and reclassification of KBLI numbers that may and must be included in the deed of establishment of a press company's legal entity in order to conform to the latest KBLI nomenclature and standards established by the government.

The issuance of SE 01/2026 was prompted by developments and changes to the KBLI nomenclature established by the government in 2025, which resulted in some existing KBLI numbers remaining in effect, while several KBLI numbers in the press sector were consolidated into other nomenclatures. Given that possession of a KBLI number in the press sector is one of the requirements for a media company to be registered and to satisfy the verification process pursuant to Press Council Regulation Number 01/Peraturan-DP/I/2023, the Press Council considered it necessary to establish guidelines for updating KBLI numbers in order to provide legal certainty and prevent disruption to the national registration process for press companies.

Comparison

Press Council Circular Letter Number: 01/SE-DP/VIII/2026 updates and modifies the details of the provisions concerning KBLI numbers previously set out in Attachment item 1.1 of Press Council Regulation Number: 01/Peraturan-DP/I/2023.

Key Provisions

• Designation of a Mandatory Primary KBLI 

Numbers 1 and 2 of this Circular Letter establish a new scheme concerning KBLI requirements for press companies in response to the increasingly complex developments and dynamics of the media industry. Under these provisions, each media entity established as a press company legal entity must have exactly 1 (one) KBLI number designated as its Primary KBLI. The list of Primary KBLI referred to in Number 3 includes:

• 58120 (Newspaper Publishing).

• 58130 (Journal and Periodical Publishing).

• 60101 (Analog Radio) dan 60102 (Digital Radio).

• 60202 (Digital Television).

• 60311 (News Agency Activities by the Government) dan 60312 (News Agency Activities by the Private Sector).

 

• Flexibility in Adding Supporting KBLI 

In addition to the obligation to have a Primary KBLI, Number 2 also provides operational flexibility for press companies to expand the scope of their ancillary businesses by permitting them to have other KBLI numbers serving as Supporting KBLI. Referring to the list in Number 3, the valid Supporting KBLI codes include:

• 18111 (General Printing);

• 58110 (Book Publishing);

• 59112 (Film, Video, and Television Program Production Activities by the Private Sector);

• 73100 (Advertising Activities);

• 73202 (Public Opinion Polling);

• 74193 (Specialized Design Activities);

• 82300 (Organization of Business Exhibitions and Conventions); and

• 85582 (Corporate Training and Information and Communication Technology).

 

• Dynamic Nature and Future Regulatory Harmonization 

Number 5 of this Circular Letter provides that the details of the KBLI numbers are adaptive and may be amended or updated in accordance with policy developments. Such updates will be made by the Press Council responsively if there are further changes to the KBLI nomenclature or classification established by the competent government authority.

Transitional Provisions

Number 4 of this Circular Letter provides guidance concerning the verification status of press companies. For new press companies that will submit an application for verification to the Press Council, compliance with the licensing requirements must refer to the list of KBLI numbers stipulated in this Circular Letter from the outset of the application process.

Closing

With the issuance of SE 01/2026, the Press Council has updated the provisions concerning the KBLI numbers that must be held by the legal entities of press companies in order to align them with developments in the KBLI nomenclature established by the government. The principal change lies in expressly requiring the possession of exactly 1 (one) Primary KBLI while providing press companies with the opportunity to hold Supporting KBLI numbers in accordance with their business activities.

These provisions provide clarity regarding the KBLI classification that serves as the basis for press companies to satisfy the registration and verification requirements of the Press Council. For press companies intending to apply for verification, compliance with the KBLI requirements stipulated in SE 01/2026 should be addressed from the outset to ensure conformity with the applicable provisions.