11 December 2024, Jakarta – This report, prepared by Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN), Jakarta, examines the challenges and transformations faced by Indonesia’s media industry in the digital era. It highlights five main challenges:
1. Intense Competition and Resource Inequality: Media competition is fierce, particularly in digital media, with western regions dominating while eastern regions face infrastructure and talent gaps.
2. Shrinking Traditional Revenue Streams: Relying on advertising is no longer sustainable. Larger companies diversify through acquisitions, while smaller outlets rely on local government partnerships or alternative revenue models like digital subscriptions.
3. Dependence on Dominant Platforms: Platforms like Google and Facebook control content distribution and revenue, reducing press companies’ financial returns and autonomy.
4. Shortage of Digital Talent: A lack of skilled professionals, especially in eastern Indonesia, hinders digital transformation. Younger generations show little interest in journalism.
5. Declining Quality of Journalism: Financial pressures push media companies to prioritize survival over journalistic ethics, resulting in lower-quality content.
Recommendations include advocating for revenue-sharing regulations with digital platforms, improving media managers’ digital literacy, promoting high-quality media, expanding business classifications, and pausing new press verifications to strengthen the ecosystem.
The report concludes that sustaining a media business focused on journalistic integrity is increasingly difficult, requiring innovation, robust policy support, and a commitment to public interest. It serves as a guide for navigating Indonesia’s media landscape amid digital disruption.
* This report was presented during the visit of the IFJ Malaysia-Indonesia Media Mission delegation in Jakarta (8–13 December 2024), Universitas Multimedia Nusantara.
Tq to: Dean Faculty Communications & Science, Dr Rismi Juliadi; Dr Ignatius Haryanto Djoewanto, Head Of Graduan Program In Communucation Science; Veronika, Deputy Head of Digital Journalism Department.
To read full report: https://dewanpers.or.id/…/2412090811__~Final_Report…
Reported by: Ainol, Jakarta, Indonesia
