Objective: The purpose of this research is to find out the challenges and obstacles as well as strategies that can be used as an effort to utilize media and nationalism in border communities.
Theoretical Framework: Agenda Setting Theory is used to see how the media influences people at the border then Used and Gratification Theory is used to see how people use the media at the border and Nationalism Theory is used to see the extent of Nationalism of people at the border.
Methodology: The methodology used uses a qualitative or descriptive analysis method, by collecting and analyzing written text (literature study), from secondary data and primary data, using a national interest perspective.
Result: Broadcasting media as a "window to the event" is able to present the outside world amidst the backwardness experienced by border communities, however, the lack of local broadcasting media, community broadcasting media and public broadcasting media, which operate in border areas, results in the lack of border residents getting balanced information, educational information, and information containing Indonesian cultural values. The influx of information from foreign media brings foreign information and culture that can cause border communities to become unfamiliar with their own culture. In the long run, the Indonesian nation will lose its sense of nationalism, the emergence of disintegration, political conflicts, and cultural shifts in border communities.
Research, Pratical & Social Implication: The presence of mass media at the border is a means of communication and information for the community as well as social control and promotion for the development of national values. The lack of local media and the large number of external media that can be accessed at the border make border communities vulnerable to various issues and conflicts that tend to cause division, cause disintegration and loss of nationalism. The presence of public media and community media at the border is not maximized due to the lack of infrastructure and the weak quality of human resources at the border.
Originality/value: The research results of this paper are expected to provide input to stakeholders, communities and media actors to utilize the existing media at the border as 'Guardians of Information' and also to increase the sense of nationalism of border communities in Indonesia.