Communication Minister Encourages Media to Establish Actual, Factual, Accountable Mass Media

Minister of Communication and Informatics Johnny Gerard Plate (Photo by: Documentation of Cabinet Secretariat)

In commemoration of the 2021 National Press Day (HPN), Minister of Communication and Informatics Johnny Gerard Plate has asked the press and media to strengthen their commitments in building actual, factual, and accountable mass media.

“I certainly hope that at today’s convention, you can further strengthen our common commitment as well as expand the role of the media in building mass media that is actual, factual, and accountable,” Johnny said at the virtual National Mass Media Convention, Monday (08/02).

The Minister emphasized that the 2021 HPN is a very important momentum, considering that the media are the accelerator of change and also a pillar of democracy. “On the one hand, we are talking about extraordinary freedom regarding contents. But on the other hand, we also need strong regulations to overcome extraordinary competition,” he said.

Johnny called the press to commit to building a better mass media by referring to the agendas that have been agreed upon at the previous HPN.

The Minister also encouraged the current press industry to participate in transforming and adapting to the rapid development of technology and the impact of COVID-19. Advances in technology and digitalization have made the coverage of the press and media wider. “The public’s needs and demands for access to fast and free information have even increased with digitalization,” he said.

People’s references in consuming news, according to the Minister, have shifted. There are six million online media readers compared to the 4.5 million readers of printed media, he said.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Katadata and the Ministry in 2020 shows the dominance of social media as the most trusted information channel by the public. “This is what we must realize, the public trusts social media as a reliable information channel, around 20 percent of them say so,” he further said.

Therefore, the Minister stated that the press and media industry is required to change its reporting process to a more concise and efficient manner. The rise of social media as a media that is trusted by the public can trigger various issues in the future, such as issues of copyright, content reproduction rights, or publishing rights.

“This matter certainly needs to be addressed wisely, even though digitalization causes the press and media to make changes in various existing business processes, don’t let the enthusiasm to continue reporting actual, factual, and accountable information change, don’t let it,” he said. (PR of Ministry of Communication and Informatics/AIT/UN) (FI/MMB)