BOAO FORUM FOR ASIA

MARCH 22, 2016

by Wahyu Adhitama

ELSHINTA (INDONESIA)

I'd like to talk a little about some interesting trends in the way news is being consumed in my country; and these findings are indicative of the trends occurring throughout our region as a whole. One of your prominent technology companies, Baidu conducted a study along with the Indonesian Digital Association and the Creative Economic Body of Indonesia. The study centered around the consumption of online media in Indonesia. While focusing on the internet as a platform, these findings give an insight into the challenges taking place in the media landscape as a whole, while at the same time giving an opportunity in the ongoing development.

It seems that the internet is indeed the great equalizer when pitting David and Goliath together in the ring. Indeed, this relatively new media platform levels the playing field, irrespective of the mode: online newspapers, radio streaming and popular video applications and sites share the news in a similar way as the conventional media has been doing from the start of printed gazzettes in the early beginnings of modern media, up to the advent of broadcast media in the last century.

In Indonesia, the smartphone has taken over television as the main source of multi media news consumption, where 96% of those people living in the urban areas are choosing their gadgets over television sets (at a close 91%). This is a significant portion of our society, where almost 54% of Indonesians live in urban areas.

As a witness to this fundamental shift, it amazes me that despite the change in platform, the ways of conveying news still retain the essence of objectivity, impartiality and professionalism. The audience has taken on the de facto role of arbitrator and self-censor; despite the continuous challenges being faced.

This brings me to the key sets of challenges that we encounter, especially in the era of greater transparency and alternatives in the source of news.

From an empirical observation of my country's media landscape, I see the following challenges:

1. The objectivity of privately-held media outlets, and the potential abuse of public broadcasting frequencies for furthering personal agendas of the owners.

2. Accountability and verification of information, in the era of speed over quality .

3. Integration of media platforms, to responsibly incorporate the elements of social media into the realm of conventional media.

The entry of privately held mass media into the landscape and the exponential increase of press freedom is a breath of fresh air in any society; including Indonesia. This phenomenon has not developed without obstacles along the way. As privately owned media is consolidated ever more, greater disclosure is demanded, and ethical behaviour in using public frequencies must be adhered.

One final challenge I'd like to note, which I think is becoming a universal problem, is finding the balance between incorporating the ever-developing social media into the fabric of mainstream media, all while doing so in a responsible manner.

In a study of the ever digitalizing population in my country in 2015, 72 million people have active social media accounts, of which 62 million of them are using them through mobile devices. Putting that into context, that means almost one in every three Indonesians have a social media account and use them actively. The news is one of the most popular content shared by these users in social media.

In closing, and in relation to the overall theme of the Boao Forum, I firmly believe that the future of our common Asia lies in the handling of new dynamics, and a vision that is constantly being updated. We should not shun from new and alternative platforms of information, since we are in the Information Era.

Adapting and adjusting to our respective countries' social situations do require additional effort. There is never a one-size-fits-all solution. Therefore, in keeping the cooperation moving between the different nations and stakeholders (in this case the media, the public and technology companies), we must also not be afraid to adjust and respect different ways of working.