Change for the People

Kompas

Then-state-owned enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan (right) talks with then-Kompas CEO Jakob Oetama during his visit to the Kompas office on  25 October 2012 in Jakarta.

“The future of journalism -- and it has started now -- is multiple media journalism.” Journalists must also be able to multitask.

The message was repeatedly delivered by Kompas co-founder and then CEO Jakob Oetama more than 10 years ago. This message seems to complement PK Ojong\'s warning more than 40 years ago. "A press that does not receive subsidies can only develop if, in addition to its editorial, its businesses expertise and the quality of its printing, there is another important factor. And, the other factor is people’s trust in the daily," said PK Ojong, who is also a co-founder of Kompas.

The future of journalism and mass media, especially print media, depends on the independence of the editor, the intelligence of the business manager (administration), the printing technology, the purchasing power of the people, public trust, and multimedia. Conventional media, whether printed, electronic, or online, must not only rely on one platform, one media, or one channel, but it must be multimedia.

Innovation and the ability to adapt to changes in society are the keywords for the birth of technology that supports the development of media and the birth of multimedia.

KOMPAS/WISNU WIDIANTORO

Photos of a newspaper published in Jakarta on 22 May 2019. Despite the growth of social media, newspapers remain a main news source for some.

Journalism and media life -- not only in Indonesia, but also across the world -- are facing life-and-death problems. Some media ended their publishing, and some turned to digital platforms completely, because they were unable to deal with change and faced digital disruption and the birth of new media and social media, which became a new reference for the public in obtaining information.

Media migration from physical to digital, increasing the quality of press freedom and journalist competence are a number of steps taken by media managers to keep the press them alive and even develop.

In Indonesia, chairman of the Press Council Mohammad Nuh, in his remarks on 2020 National Press Day (HPN) in South Kalimantan, stated the press community had understood the birth of new challenges facing the world of media (and journalism). Media migration from physical to digital, increasing the quality of press freedom and journalist competence are a number of steps taken by media managers to keep the press them alive and even develop.

The strategies on making the media survive, allowing journalism to flourish, and providing the public with credible information was a concern during the HPN commemoration, which is celebrated every 9 Feb. Of course it is not easy, especially since people have really changed in using media.

A survey conducted by the Press Council with Prof. Dr. Moestopo University in Jakarta in 2019 shows that out of 1,020 respondents, only 25.8 percent read newspapers every day. In addition, as many as 31.9 percent still watch television for 2-8 hours per day and only 7.6 percent listen to the radio every day. Furthermore, 31.57 percent use Facebook, YouTube (39.9 percent), or WhatsApp (47.75 percent), and 33.33 percent use Instagram for 2-8 hours every day.

Let\'s adapt to change, let\'s change to keep the media alive, and to let journalism flourish. Have a happy time celebrating HPN 2020.