Minister Urges Press to Adapt to Advances in Digital Technology

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, has urged the press to adapt to advances in digital technology, such as big data, artificial intelligence, and metaverse.

This could enrich data and analysis for the production and distribution of media industry content, he explained.

"A good media industry orientation will be reflected in quality journalism based on data, adequate analysis, and theoretical approaches," he said at the 2022 National Press Day (HPN) Convention, which took place in a hybrid format at Phinisi Room Hotel Claro, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, on Tuesday.

In the midst of the push for digital transformation globally due to the pandemic, a digital transformation is also important for the press industry so that it can find new media business models, the minister said.

The use of data, which has increased lately, can allow companies to identify and target audiences more accurately, he noted.

In addition, the development of artificial intelligence would make it easier for companies to build personalized products and services for different audiences according to their needs, he added.

"Currently in Indonesia, we are also rolling out and deploying 5G to respond to the emergence of various technologies, as well as new digital media such as metaverse, cloud computing, which will further encourage shifts in production and consumption in the field of communication, journalism and media," he said.

According to a report by The New York Times, nearly a third of content published by Bloomberg News journalists is created with the help of artificial intelligence or reporter robots, Plate highlighted.

The Huffington Post has also been utilizing big data since 2014 to optimize content, authenticate comments, ensure effectiveness, and manage placement in advertising, as well as create passive personalization, he said.

“This is a study from the Reuters Institute. One simple practice, big data, is being used to determine the most appropriate timing to publish an article or which platform is most suitable to be used for distributing an article," he added.

The Minister said metaverse technology has also enabled the emergence of new business models for the media industry. In 2003, a second life platform or virtual community had emerged that allowed users to create avatars and interact in the virtual world, he noted.

He said the online newspaper, The Second Life Environment, was present on the platform. The newspaper allowed virtual business owners and creators to advertise their services or products to consumers on the second life platform, he added.

There has been a shift in media consumption among the public over the past decade as seen from the downward trend in conventional media consumption from 2011 to 2021, he noted.

According to records on the bandwidth, record, and risky time in 2021 that he collected, the decline in consumption mostly occurred in print media, which fell by around 50 percent, followed by television media(down 24 percent) and radio (down nearly 19 percent).

On the other hand, desktop-based media consumption increased by 20 percent, while mobile-based media increased by more than 460 percent, he said.

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