BRIDGING OR LIMITING? THE DYNAMICS OF STATE-SPONSORED DIGITAL INTERMEDIARIES IN THE LOCAL COMMUNICATION ECOLOGY: A CASE STUDY IN PALEMBANG, INDONESIA

Abstract

In an era of accelerated digital transformation, governments in Global South countries often rely on community groups as intermediaries to bridge the digital divide. However, existing literature often overlooks the tension between organic participation and state-managed mobilization in such initiatives. This article investigates the Community Information Group (KIM) in Palembang, Indonesia, a hybrid entity that combines community activism with state bureaucratic structures. Using the Communicative Ecologies framework, this study explores how KIM navigates their dual role as the “voice” of the government and the representative of citizens' aspirations in the wake of the 2022 policy revitalization. Through a qualitative case study involving in-depth interviews and policy document analysis, findings show that KIM functions as crucial human infrastructure but is trapped in a dilemma of “institutional hybridity.” Although KIMs have succeeded in expanding the dissemination of technical information, their role is often reduced to that of gatekeepers who reinforce the state narrative rather than empowering critical citizen discourse. This study contributes to the literature on development communication by highlighting the limitations of state-sponsored participation in an increasingly digitized information ecosystem.

Keywords: Digital Intermediaries, Communication Ecology, Community Information Groups (KIM), State Mobilization, Palembang.