FWK Partners with Evident Institute to Research the Future of the Press in the Era of Digital Disruption

JAKARTA - After holding a National Press Day (HPN) reflection event and a book surgery entitled "Connecting Mass Media", the National Journalists Forum (FWK) immediately followed up by holding cooperation with Evident Institute. This cooperation includes research activities on the future of the press.

How the press must transform and adapt in the midst of digital disruption is always interesting to talk about. Coordinator of FWK, Raja Parlindungan Pane and Executive Director of Evident Institute, Rinatania Anggraeni Fajriani, S.E., M.Sc, PhD Cand, Friday (13/2), Jakarta, said, this cooperation is important to jointly find solutions to the heavy challenges faced by the national press.

Taufan Hariyadi, producer of news tv, author of the book "Connecting Mass Media", said that the national news tv industry and global media - which are battered by digital disruption - are trying to take steps to transform and adapt to keep up with the demands of digital development.

However, Taufan regretted that some management was caught in a contradictory attitude, namely considering the global platform to be a business destroyer, then utilizing it without a clear strategy.

"Until now, global media is still in the middle stage of trying to get the best formula," added a regular lecturer in Communication Science at Prof. Dr. HAMKA University (UHAMKA) Jakarta.

Patterns of obtaining news

On this occasion, Hendry Ch Bangun, former Deputy Chairman of the Press Council for the period 2019-2022, conveyed the reflection of HPN. The HPN moment is often used to look back at the journey of the national press. Hendry Ch Bangun also appreciated the publication of Taufan Hariyadi's book. He responded positively to the cooperation between FWK and Evident Institute.

According to him, it is always interesting to follow how the Indonesian people get news/information, because the pattern is always changing, along with the emergence of digital technology and new platforms.

It is said, last 2021, the Press Council, in collaboration with a private university, had conducted a study. The interesting finding was that, although public confidence in conventional media was still high, TikTok was beginning to be used by the public as one of the sources of getting news.

However, he added, only a few years later, the situation was reversed. Currently, social media has become the main source of news for the community. "TikTok, which was only ranked 8, is now probably number one," said the former Kompas Daily journalist.

A number of studies in the world show that the use of new media continues to take the role and function of conventional TV media.

According to Hendry, FWK and the Evident Institute, which have already worked together, need to conduct further research. The findings of the research results of the Press Council together with Prof. Dr. Moestopo University (Religious) need to be updated through research activities again.

Taufan, yang saat ini masih menjabat sebagai produser di TVONE, menyebut ide buku ini berangkat dari riset sejak 2019 tentang konvergensi di tempat ia bekerja. Temuannya adalah konvergensi kerap berhenti sebagai "saluran baru", bukan berubah menjadi budaya kerja.

"Currently, convergence is still half-hearted," said the holder of the Main Journalist of the Press Council.

Taufan through his book "Connecting Media Massa" proposes the need for a transformation of the newsroom into a newskestra.