Kontestasi Modal Simbolik Pesantren di Arena Media

The rapid development of modern and digital media has transformed how social institutions are represented and debated in the public sphere. Media are no longer neutral channels of information but arenas of meaning shaped by symbolic power. In Indonesia, Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) hold strong moral legitimacy and symbolic authority. However, they can become vulnerable when confronted with media industry logics driven by sensationalism and the attention economy. The 2025 controversy between Trans7 and Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo, triggered by the program Xpose Uncensored, illustrates this tension between sacred religious values and contemporary media practices.This study analyzes the conflict using Pierre Bourdieu’s theory, focusing on the concepts of field, habitus, symbolic capital, and symbolic power. Using qualitative library research, the study draws on Bourdieu’s works, media and religion scholarship, pesantren studies, and online reports related to the case. Data are examined through content and theoretical analysis.The findings show that the conflict was not merely a technical broadcasting issue, but a symbolic struggle between two different social fields. Media operate under market and visibility logics, while pesantren are grounded in moral norms and spatial sacredness. Public reactions demonstrate that pesantren retain strong symbolic capital, enabling resistance and negotiation in the media arena.