98 Percent Of Internet Users In Indonesia Watching Videos, Airlangga Hartarto Emphasizes This Opportunity Must Be Optimized

Airlangga Hartarto emphasized that opportunities in the creative industry must be utilized. (special photo)

JAKARTA - Indonesia is a very large share for digital creative industry content, where according to We Are Social data, the number of internet users in Indonesia in 2021 will reach 202.6 million people or 73.7% of the population and 98.5% of the population. The number is watching videos online. Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto emphasized that creative industry players must optimize this.

Currently, there are more than 8.2 million creative businesses in Indonesia, which are dominated by culinary, fashion, and craft businesses. In addition, there are 4 sub-sectors of the creative economy with the fastest growth, namely film, animation and video, performing arts, and visual communication design. The rapid growth in this sector is supported by the increasing adoption of digital technology in society.

Based on the publication of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, it was recorded that in 2019 the creative economy sub-sector contributed IDR 1,153.4 trillion GDP or 7.3% of the total National GDP, 15.2% of the workforce, and 11.9% of exports.

"For that, I really appreciate the Wayang Youth Festival event to awaken Indonesia's creative industry while at the same time instilling pride in our young people for creating works that have a breath, identity, and original Indonesian culture so that we appear different from foreign content. Moreover, Indonesian Wayang Kulit has been recognized by UNESCO as an Amazing World Cultural Heritage, this we need to continue to promote and preserve," said Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto virtually at the Wayang Youth Festival, Thursday 13 January.

This advantage in the domestic market is an opportunity for the nation's children to be able to display creative content and gain economic benefits. However, you must be ready to compete with the flood of content from abroad.

"We must be able to face an identity and cultural crisis due to the massive content of foreign cultural shows that still dominate in Indonesia with various products or creative content produced by our own nation's children," said Coordinating Minister Airlangga.

The government will continue to consistently support the growth of the creative industry and make the Creative Industry one of the sectors that can support national economic growth. In terms of Human Resources, the Government has initiated various programs, including the Pre-Employment Card, Digital Talent Scholarship, and the National Digital Literacy Movement.

In addition, the Government also continues to encourage digital infrastructure programs, including the construction of the Palapa Ring fiber optic network, BTS towers and internet networks in 3T areas, expansion of the 4G area, development of the 5G system, launching of the SATRIA multifunction satellite, construction of several national data centers.

"We hope that the Wayang Youth Festival program can continue in the form of incubation to provide assistance, training, and financing for local creative industry players so that they are able to produce original Indonesian works that attract the world's eyes and are economically profitable," concluded Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto.