Introduction to Indonesian News Media
Indonesia is a country in South East Asia located between the Indian and The Pacific Ocean. With a population of over 26 crores, Indonesia is the 4th largest country in the world in terms of population. The history of media in Indonesia dates back to the 18th century when Indonesia was a Dutch colony. In fact, the media history of Indonesia can be broadly divided into 3 phases
1. During Dutch colonization
2. After Independence
3. After the end of President Suharto’s rule in 1999
By the beginning of the 16th century, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) had become the dominant European power in the region. Though VOC was dissolved in 1800 owing to bankruptcy, the VOC under government control remained dominant in Indonesia. The history of newspapers in Indonesia dates back to the late 18th century and the first newspaper in Indonesia was published by the VOC. The first newspaper in Indonesia mainly published news that they received from Europe and hence they were of little interest to the native people.
Bataviasche Courant was the first newspaper in Indonesia that was focussed on reporting the local and regional news. This newspaper was later renamed to Javasche Courant and remained in circulation until the Japanese invasion of Indonesia during the 2nd World War. By the mid of 19th century, there were almost 25 Dutch newspapers that were in circulation.
Indonesians had to wait until 1907 before the first fully Indonesian newspaper, Medan Prijaji entered circulation. The years that followed many new newspapers such as the Darmo-Kondo, Sinar Hindia, Oetoesan Hindia, Oetoesan Borneo, Benih Mardika, and Tjaja-Soematra entering circulation.
One of the major problems these newspapers faced was the low numbers in circulation owing to the high rate of illiteracy. It was estimated that the literacy rate in Indonesia during the mid of the 19th century was only around 5%. Though the circulation of these newspapers was low, these early newspapers were instrumental in the early nationalist movements which eventually led to the promotion of nationalist spirit.
With the Japanese invasion of Indonesia in 1942, the existing newspapers that were in circulation were banned. The Japanese military government started publishing new newspapers that were censored and constantly monitored. The media scenario in Indonesia had a paradigm shift after Indonesia declared independence following the surrender of the Japanese empire in the Pacific in 1945. Following the Independence, under the rule of President Suharto many new Indonesian media houses were founded.
The media scenario in Indonesia entered a major crisis under the rule of the 2nd President of Indonesia, Suharto. During his rule which is known as the New Order Era (1966-1998), the entire media infrastructure and outlets were under government control. No media outlet could be established or operated without special permission from the government.
This special permission was called the “Surat Ijin Usaha Penerbitan Pers”, which translated into Press Publishing Business License – SIUPP. Apart from that, one also needed to be a permission to be a journalist in this era. Both of these permissions could be withdrawn by the government at any point in time if they ever felt that the media is functioning against the government’s interest or being critical of the government.
Indonesia gained press freedom post-1998 after the reign of President Suharto came to an end. Following which the stringent rules over the press and the media houses were removed. As of 2020, Indonesia has the 124th position in the global media freedom index.
Following the abolishment of the special permit for media outlets and to be a journalist, a lot of new media houses emerged in Indonesia. As per the latest survey, there about 47,000 outlets in Indonesia out of which 2,000 are print media, 43,000 are online media and rest accounts to television and radio channels.
In this article, we will have an in-depth look at the top Indonesian newspapers and news websites.
The article has been arranged in the following order
A. Indonesian newspapers
B. Indonesian online newspapers and news websites
C. Sports newspapers and news websites
D. Business newspapers and news websites
A. Indonesian Newspapers
Indonesia being the 4th largest country in the world in terms of population, it houses almost around 2000 print media outlets. In this section, we will have a look at the top Indonesian newspapers and discuss some interesting facts about them.
Kompas
Kompas is a daily newspaper in the Indonesian language that is currently in circulation in Indonesia. The newspaper was founded by the Indonesian conglomerate Kompas Gramedia in 1965 and it first hit the newsstands the same year on 28th June. Though Kompas is owned and operated by the Kompas Gramedia, the idea of starting the newspaper was that of Ahmad Yani who was as General in the Indonesian Army.
The foundation of Kompas was done in an era when communism was on the rise in Indonesia. It was Frans Seda (a government minister) who proposed Yani’s idea of starting a newspaper to be a representative of the Catholic party faction in Indonesia to P. K. Ojong and Jakob Oetama (Founders of Kompas). They believed that the newspaper could check communism gaining popularity in Indonesia. Though Kompas had a pro-catholic editorial policy and political alignment, over the years it had a paradigm shift by remaining independent and free from all political factions.
Kompas during the initial years after launch had a circulation of around 4,800 copies. This number over the years increased to 500,000 in 2014. It is important to note that Kompas has remained one of the largest newspapers in the Indonesian media scene. Similar to the daily newspaper, the Sunday supplement of Kompas is widely circulated in Indonesia and has a circulation of around 600,000 copies.
Apart from being one of the largest newspapers in Indonesia, Kompas is also credited with being an early bird in transmitting news over the internet. The sports division of Kompas was the first newspaper in Indonesia to send a picture over the internet. In the following years, Kompas also set foot into the world of digital media. The official website and online news portal of Kompas were launched on 14th September 1995 and it remains one among the popular news websites in Indonesia.
Surya
Surya is a daily newspaper that is widely popular in the Surabaya region of Indonesia. The newspaper is more like a regional daily that focuses on reporting new from Surabaya, Malang, Jember, Madiun, Kediri, Gresik & Madura region of Indonesia. The newspaper was founded in the year 1989 and it first hit the newsstands the same year on November 10th.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper it also has an online news portal. Similar to the printed edition the news portal covers the regional news, national news, important international news, sports and economy. There dedicated sections on the website for regional news, business news, travel, automobile, sport, and so on.
An interesting thing to note about the online news portal is that it has a dedicated section for the citizen reporters. The online portal of Surya allows the common people & aspiring journalists to report news which they will publish on the website.
Tempo
Tempo is an Indonesian weekly magazine that was founded in the year 1971 and first entered circulation the same year on 6th March. The magazine was founded by Goenawan Mohamad and Yusril Djalinus. Goenawan Mohamad was a famous Indonesian writer, poet and play writer who was known for being critical against the dictatorship like rule of the Indonesian government under Suharto. Owing to which the magazine too had an editorial policy which was against strongly against the government policies.
All these were happening while Indonesia was under the New Order of President Suharto, where media freedom was a myth. Due to their anti-governmental editorial policies, Tempo along with 2 other magazines Editor and DeTik was banned by the Information Ministry. It was the events that unfolded after the banning of these magazines that led to the founding of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AIJ). AIJ is a leading organization in Indonesia that promotes press freedom.
Shortly after the resignation of President Suharto, Tempo resumed its publication and has ever since remained independent of any political alignment. Tempo has been published in the Indonesian language starting from 1971 until the company decided to publish an English variant of the Magazine. As per the latest survey, Tempo has a circulation of around 300,000 copies.
Apart from the printed edition of the magazine, Tempo also has an online website that covers everything from national news, international news, economy, sports, technology, automobile, business, and so on. Unlike the printed edition of the newspaper, every content on their website is made available to the users for free.
Koran Tempo
Koran Tempo is an Indonesian daily newspaper that was founded in the year 2001 and first hit the newsstands on 21st April of the same year. The newspaper is owned by the PT Tempo Inti Media group based out of Jakarta, Indonesia. When it was first launched in 2001, it had a circulation of around 100,000 copies and over the years Koran Tempo has grown to be a popular daily in Indonesia.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Koran Tempo also has an online website which covers all facets of news including national, international, politics, economy, business, technology, automobile, science, literature, and other infotainment news.
Republika
Republika is a popular Indonesian national daily that is widely circulated in Indonesia. The newspaper was founded in the year 1992 and it first hit the newsstands on January 3rd, 1993. Being founded during the new order era of Indonesia under the rule of President Suharto, the newspaper was known for their pro-governmental editorial policy. Apart from being a pro-governmental daily, the newspaper called itself a publication predominantly for the Muslim community of Indonesia.
Though Republika claims to be a national daily for the Muslim community of Indonesia, there are people from the Islamic community who reject this claim. There have been many reported instances where Republika had been faulted for reporting on topics that were considered to be un-Islamic. Republika is known in Indonesia for their editorial policy that clearly emphasizes that the publications of Republika are not only targeted at political stalwarts or the deeply pious. Rather they are also focussed on catering to people in the Islamic community who are still uncertain about their faith.
Republika covers all facets of news including national, international, economy, politics, sports and also updates on various other infotainment sections. An interesting thing to note about Republika is that though being an Islamic newspaper, they cover stories on the arts, television, literature, and fashion trends of interest to the middle and upper middle-class Muslims who comprise their readership which is largely deemed to be un-Islamic.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Republika also has an online website that covers news including the national, international, economy, politics, and many more. There are dedicated sections on the website for all these news categories. Along with a strong presence on the World Wide Web, Republika has an active presence on various social media platforms too.
Pikiran Rakyat
Pikiran Rakyat is an Indonesian daily newspaper that is based out of Bandung, Indonesia and circulated across West Java & Banten regions. The newspaper first entered circulation on March 24th, 1996. Being a leading national daily, Pikiran Rakyat covers all facets of news including national, international, economical, sports, regional, and other infotainment news.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, it also has an online news portal that covers all facets of news including the national, international, economy, politics, sports, and other infotainment news. There are dedicated sections on the website for the various news categories.
Other than providing in depth analysis of important national and international news, the online portal of Pikiran Rakyat also provides its readers with interesting editorial articles on various trending topics.
Jawa Pos
Jawa Pos is in Indonesian daily newspaper that is based out of Surabaya, East Java. The newspaper was founded in 1949 and it first hit the newsstands the same year on July 1st. Jawa pos which translates to “Jawa post” is owned by the Indonesian media tycoon Dahlan Iskan.
History of Jawa Pos dates back to 1949 when Suseno Tedjo founded the newspaper under the name Djava-Post. The founder of the newspaper Suseno Tedjo was an employee at an advertising firm whose job was to advertise movies on newspapers. It is out of his interest towards newspapers he decided to launch a news newspaper. Though things were running smoothly in the beginning over the years the circulation of Djava-Post began declining and in 1982 it hit an all-time low of 6,800 copies.
With the circulation dropping rapidly, Suseno was unable to sustain the business and he finally sold the newspaper to Eric F.H. Samola, the director of the publishing house of Tempo newspaper. It was then the name of the newspaper was changed to Jawa Pos. After the takeover, new marketing and revamping strategies were put into place because of which the circulation began improving and by 1990s, circulation reached 350,000 copies.
Jawa pos was an early bird when it came to embracing modern technologies. They were the first one to use computerized systems in 1984, the first newspaper to be published in colour and the first to invest in an online website. The online website of Jawa Pos was launched in 1994 and has over the years grown to become a leading online news portal in Indonesia.
Similar to the printed edition of the newspaper, the online website covers all facets of news including national, international, sports, economy, business, automobile, technology, and other infotainment news.
The Jakarta Post
The Jakarta Post is a daily newspaper that is currently in circulation in Indonesia. Owned by the PT Niskala Media Tenggara, The Jakarta Post is one among the leading English newspapers of Indonesia. The newspaper was first founded in 1983 and it first hit the newsstands on 25th of April, the same year.
The history of the newspaper can be traced back to the time when the founders of Jakarta post, then information minister Ali Murtopo and politician Jusuf Wanandi felt the need for an English newspaper in the Indonesian market. Jakarta post was the brainchild of this duo who was unhappy with the bias the foreign news sources had against Indonesia. And the proposed solution to this was to have a popular English daily.
During the 1980s the two popular English dailies were The Indonesia Times and The Indonesian Observer but these two newspapers had rather a bad reputation among the readers. It is when Ali Murtopo and Jusuf Wanandi decided to start a new English newspaper, a newspaper that would cater to its readers authentic and credible news.
In order to ensure credibility, they decided to convince the leading yet competing for newspapers in the Indonesian market Suara Karya, Kompas, Sinar Harapan & the weekly Tempo to back the Jakarta Post. It was agreed between the stakeholders that
- Kompas would handle the daily business operations including printing, circulation and advertising for a 25% share in the newspaper.
- Tempo was willing to assist the management for a 15% share
- Sinar Harapan received stock of Jakarta post for appointing their senior journalist Sabam Siagian as the chief editor of Jakarta Post
Other than the daily newspaper, Jakarta Post also publishes a Sunday supplement that includes in-depth stories and other entertainment news.
As per the latest survey, Jakarta post has a circulation of around 40,000 copies. Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper they also have an online portal catering to the readers who prefer the digital medium. Similar to the printed edition, the online portal covers all facets of news including national, international, politics, economy, sports and other infotainment sections. Though most of the content on their website are available free of cost, there are premium contents which are exclusive only for the paid customers.
Media Indonesia
Media Indonesia is a daily newspaper in the Indonesian language that is printed and circulated pan Indonesia out of Jakarta. The newspaper owned by the Media Group first hit the newsstands on 19th January 1970. Over the years Media Indonesia has grown to become the second-largest newspaper in Indonesia based on circulation.
Media Indonesia was first launched as a weekly newspaper with four pages and with limited reporting. It remained a four paged weekly until 1976 when they decided to improve their reporting and coverage following which the number of pages was increased to eight. In the year 1988, Teuku Yousli Syah the founder of Media Indonesia decided to collaborate with the former owner of ‘Prioritas’ newspaper to establish a new media house. This marked the birth of a new era of Media Indonesia under the guidance of a new management team.
With a circulation of 75,000 to 250,000 copies, Media Indonesia is the second-largest newspaper in Indonesia.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Media Indonesia also has an online website that covers all facets of news ranging from national, international, economy, sports and entertainment. There are dedicated sections on the website for each of these categories of news. Though most of the content on the website are available for free, there is premium content on the website exclusively for paid subscribers.
Suara Pembaruan
Suara Pembaruan is an evening daily newspaper that is currently in circulation in Indonesia. The newspaper owned by the BeritaSatu Media Holdings first entered circulation on 3rd February 1987. It is important to note that Suara Pembaruan was launched as a replacement to the newspaper “Sinar Harapan”.
Sinar Harapan was banned and had been shut down on 9th October 1986, for their anti-governmental stance. It was during the New Order regime under the president Suharto and the government revokes all the licences issued to Sinar Harapan. In the events that followed this, the newspaper Suara Pembaruan was founded. Suara Pembaruan had most of the key people who were with Sinar Harapan in their team.
Since it first entered circulation, Suara Pembaruan has grown to become one of the leading newspapers in Indonesia.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Suara Pembaruan also has an online website that covers all facets of news including national, international, sports, economy, and so on. The website also has a dedicated section for entertainment news and updates.
Harian Jogja
Harian Jogja is an Indonesian daily newspaper that first entered circulation on May 20th, 2008. As the name suggests, Harian Jogja is a newspaper from the Jogja community and is the third community newspaper in Indonesia. Everything about this newspaper including the colour combinations, style of writing is closely related to the Jogja community of Indonesia. Harian Jogja mainly functions as a regional newspaper with most of its circulation focused on the Yogyakarta special region province.
Though a regional newspaper, Harian Jogja covers national & important international news including sports and economy.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Harian Jogja has also its online news portal. Similar to the printed edition of the newspaper, the online portal also covers national & important international news including sports and economy.
Lampung post
Lampung Post is an Indonesian language newspaper from the Lampung province of Indonesia. The newspaper was founded in the year 1974 and is one of the oldest and popular newspaper in Indonesia. Being a popular daily, Lampung post covers all facets of news including national, international, economy, politics, sports and so on. Apart from these, being based out of Lampung the newspapers specifically focus on reporting the regional news concerning the Lampung region of Indonesia.
Lampung post expanded the footprint on to the digital world in 2006 with the launch of their official website. The official website of Lampung Post acts as an online newspaper catering to its reader base who prefer the digital medium. The online website of Lampung covers all facets of news similar to its printed edition. Apart from covering the aforementioned news, there are dedicated sections on the website for updates and news concerning different regions of Lampung. Other than covering this news, the website also has information and updates on technology, automobiles, lifestyle, and other infotainment sections.
Every content on the news portal including the videos is made available to the users for free. Lampung post also has a strong presence on the various social media platforms. These social media pages are regularly updated with the most recent happenings in and around the Lampung province.
Bali Post
Bali Post is a daily newspaper that is widely circulated in Bali (An Indonesian province). The newspaper is owned by the Bali Post Media Group, the largest media group in Bali. Bali Post was founded in the year 1948 and first hit the newsstands the same year on 16th August.
The history of Bali post dates back to the days when Indonesia was under the Japanese empire. During this era, most of Indonesia’s media including the ones started by the Dutch were under Japanese control. Japanese even renamed the prominent newspapers by giving them a Japanese name. In order to better control the media scene in Indonesia, the Japanese even started publishing new local newspapers which were under strict surveillance.
Bali Shimbun was one such local newspaper founded by the Japanese in 1945. The Japanese had recruited many local journalists including Ketut Nadha, who was to become the founder of the largest media house in Indonesia. With the defeat of the Japanese empire, Bali Shimbun ceased publishing in 1945. After 2 years, making use of the infrastructure of the Bali Shimbun Ketut Nadha along with two of his acquaintances published Suara Indonesia (which was the predecessor of Bali Post). Over the years Suara Indonesia was renamed to Suluh Marhaen and finally to Bali Post on May 1971.
Bali Post covers all facets of news including politics, economy, sports, entertainment, and opinion. Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Bali Post also has an online news portal that covers all facets of news similar to its printed edition. Other than these, the website also has a dedicated section for updates on Education, technology There are dedicated sections on the website for the readers to read in-depth about each of these topics. Bali Post also has an active presence on various social media platforms.
Radar Bogor
Radar Bogor is an Indonesian daily newspaper that is printed and circulated in Bogor city, West Java. The newspaper was founded in the year 1998 and it first entered circulation on November 2nd. Radar Bogor is jointly owned by the Jawa Pos group and the Radar Bogor Group (RBG).
As the name suggests, Radar Bogor is a regional newspaper in which 75% of the content is local news and updates regarding local events, national news caters to 20% and 5% international news. As per the latest readership survey, Radar Bogor has a circulation of 15,000 to 20,000 copies making it the largest newspaper in the Bogor region.
Similar to the local newspaper in the Bogor city, the RBG also publishes other regional newspapers such as the Radar Bandung, Radar Depok, Radar Bekasi, Radar Karawang, and Metropolitan Daily. Radar Bogor set foot on to the digital world by launching its official website on 2017. This official website also functions as Radar Bogor’s online news portal.
The online portal, similar to the printed edition mainly covers the local news concerning Bogor city and important national & international news. Apart from these, the website also covers updates on sports, economy, technology and other infotainment news. Users can also access the e-paper of Radar Bogor from their website.
Haluan
Haluan is an Indonesian daily newspaper that was founded in the year 1948. It is one of the oldest newspapers in Indonesia that were founded after Indonesia gained independence from the Japanese empire. Haluan was initially founded in the city of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra. Over the years the newspaper gained a lot of popularity and eventually, it started circulating in Riau, Jambi, Bengkulu and Jakarta.
Haluan is one among the few old newspapers that have always remained in circulation since it was founded. Though Indonesia is the 4th largest country in the world in terms of population, the literacy rate was very low during the time Haluan was founded. This meant that the existing newspapers in the market had to compete among themselves for readership and revenue.
The golden era of Haluan is considered to be between 1980 and 1990 when it circulation rapidly increased and Haluan was one among the profitable media houses in Indonesia. Things started taking a U-Turn after the resignation of President Suharto in 1996. With his resignation, the New Order era ended which witnessed the rise of many new newspapers and media houses. Owing to which there happened to be a tighter competition in the market which was already struggling for business.
By the end of 2010, Haluan was facing heavy losses and the management was struggling to keep the company afloat. Following which, Basko Group took over the company and initiated many revamping measures including implementing new marketing strategies. Owing to which Haluan regained its circulation and popularity. Haluan also has a strong presence on various social media platforms.
Apart from the printed edition of Haluan, an online website which was to act as an online news portal was launched in 2010. Similar to the printed edition of Haluan, the online website covers all facets of news including the national, international, economy, politics, sports, and other infotainment news.
Indopos
Indopos is an Indonesian daily newspaper that is printed and published out of Jakarta. The newspaper was founded in the year 2003 and first hit the newsstands the same year on 25th February. Being a national daily, Indopos mainly covers national news including politics, economy sports, policies, announcements, local and regional news, and so on. Apart from these they also cover important international news.
Indopos also has an official website which also acts like an online news portal covering the same news as its printed edition. The online portal allows its users to choose the category of news the readers choose to read. For instance, there are dedicated sections or news related to national importance, updates on various governmental ministries, economy, sports and international. Other than these, the website also has a dedicated section for updates on lifestyle and other entertainment news.
Koran Jakarta
Koran Jakarta is a popular daily newspaper in the Indonesian language published in Jakarta. The newspaper was founded in the year 2008 and has grown over the years to become a popular daily in Indonesia. As of 2020, Koran Jakarta has a circulation in Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, Palembang, Semarang, and Yogyakarta regions of Indonesia.
The newspaper covers all facets of news including national, international, economy, politics and sports. Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Koran Jakarta also has an online portal that covers all the news in its printed edition. Similar to the printed edition, the online portal of Koran Jakarta is also popular in Indonesia and is rated as one of the fast-growing news portals in the country.
There are dedicated sections on the website for covering national news, updates on the economy, automobile, technology, and sports. The website also caters to its users’ live updates on the Indonesian stock market and updates on other financial matters.
Suara Merdeka
Suara Merdeka is one of the oldest newspapers in Indonesia printed and published out of central Jawa. The newspaper was first launched in February 11th 1950 by H. Hetami as an evening daily based out of Solo. When first launched, Suara Merdeka had a circulation of 5,000 copies which was a good number during that time.
Over the years the newspaper started gaining popularity which led to an increase in circulation. Owing to these reasons Suara Merdeka expanded its distribution and started competing with the other newspapers which were already in circulation. By the end of 1960s, Suara Merdeka became a daily newspaper
The newspaper covers all facets of news including national, international, sports, economy, business and finance, and so on. Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Suara Merdeka also has an online website which acts an online news portal.
The online portal of the newspaper has dedicated sections for news, sports, automobile news, entertainment, regional news, economy and so on. Readers can also access the editorials and access the selected video contents by Suara Merdeka TV from the website. The website also informs the readers on the prayer timings.
Analisa
Analisa is a daily newspaper that is in circulation in the city of Medan, Indonesia. It is one among the oldest newspapers in Indonesia and first entered circulation on 23rd March 1972 during the news order era. When it first entered circulation, Analisa was a weekly but over the years with the increase in popularity, it became a daily newspaper.
The newspaper covers all facets of news including national news, important international news, sports, economy, and so on. Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, Analisa also has an online portal covering the same news as in the printed edition.
B. Online Newspapers & News Websites
With the end of President Suharto’s rule in 1996, the new order era came to an end. After which the media liberalisation started happening and many new media houses were formed. This was when internet penetration was on its full swing. Understanding the business potential of online media and newspapers many major players started investing in digital platforms and websites.
In this section, we will have a look at some of the leading online newspapers and news websites in Indonesia.
Okezone
Okezone is a famous online media portal in Indonesia which was first launched on March 1st 2007. The website caters to its users’ news on national politics, international news, economy, style, sports, entertainment news, technology, travel, food and so on. Apart from being popular in Indonesia, Okezone is also popular among the Indonesian community living outside the country.
Okezone is owned by the PT Media Nusantara Citra Tbk, which is one of the largest integrated media company in South East Asia. Apart from Okezone, the company also owns some daily newspapers, weekly magazines and TV media businesses.
Okezone has grown rapidly over the years and as of 2019, it is the 2nd most popular news website in Indonesia in terms of visitors to the website.
Tribunenews
Tribunenews is an online news portal in Indonesia that was launched on March 1st 2010. The website covers all facets of news including national, international, regional, sports, economy, business and other entertainment news. Based out of Jakarta, Indonesia the news portal is controlled by the PT Tribune Digital Online. Though Tribunenews is based out of Jakarta, they have a team of around 500 journalists working round the clock to report news from 19 major cities of Indonesia.
What sets Tribunenews apart from the other online news portals is that rather having one main website for all news, Tribunenews has 24 regional websites exclusively for each region of Indonesia. The website Tribunenews.com mainly acts as the parent website for the 24 regional websites. Apart from having different websites for each region, Tribunenews also has a strong social media presence. Their social media pages are regularly updated with the latest happenings in and around Indonesia.
Owing to these reasons, Tribunenews is one of the popular Indonesian online news portals. As of 2014, Tribunenews was ranked the 3rd popular news website in Indonesia.
Warta Kota
Warta Kota is an online news portal that is focussed on covering the news concerning the regions around Jakarta. Being a regional online news portal, it is accessed by people in and around the Jakarta region of Indonesia. The news portal which was founded in the year 2010 functions more like a local daily, which is focussed on reporting news concerning the Jakarta, Bogor, Bekasi, Tangerang, South Tangerang, and Bekas regions of Indonesia.
Though the website is primarily focussed on reporting the regional news, it also covers national news, important international news, sports, economy, politics, and so on. There dedicated sections on the website for regional news, business news, travel, automobile, sport, and so on. Apart from these, there is a dedicated video and image gallery which users can access.
What set’s Warta Kota apart from other online news portals is that being owned by Tribun News, readers can access the E-paper of the newspaper.
DeTik
DeTik is an online news portal in Indonesia that is owned by the CT corp. The website was founded by Budi Darsono, Yayan Sopyan, Abdul Rahman and Didi Nugrahadi who were former journalists at one of Indonesia’s top-selling newspapers, the DeTik. DeTik online was first launched on 9th July 1998 and has since grown exponentially.
The history of the online news portal DeTik can be traced back to the banning of the newspaper the DeTik. DeTik was a famous newspaper in Indonesia during the early 1990s and it was known for being critical against the rule of the then president of Indonesia Suharto. The events that unfolded following the constant disagreements between the publishing company and the government led to DeTik newspaper being banned on 21 June 1994.
By the time serving president Suharto resigned on 21 June 1994, the internet had slowly begun penetrating Indonesia. It is then Budi Darsono, Yayan Sopyan, Abdul Rahman and Didi Nugrahadi decided to set up an online news portal and DeTik was launched.
The website covers all facets of news including national, international, sports, economy, politics, business, and so on. There are dedicated sections on the website for news, finance, travel, sports, technology, automobile, and other entertainment news. Apart from having a strong online presence, DeTik also has an active presence on various social media platforms.
As per the latest survey of 2018, DeTik’s online portal is one among the top 10 most-visited websites in Indonesia and one among the top 250 in the world. It is estimated that DeTik has almost around 180 million visits in a day, which speaks in tons about the website’s popularity.
Liputan 6
Liputan 6 is an online news portal that was first launched in August 2000. Liputan 6 was originally a television program that was aired on the Liputan6 SCTV program. In the year 2012, Liputan6 was registered as a separate entity and transferred to the media company PT Kreatif Media Karya. The online portal of Liputan 6 was first launched on 14th March 2016.
The website mainly focuses on reporting important news on national and international scenario, sports, economy, business, and so on. That being said, the website mainly focuses on infotainment news and has a dedicated section for images and videos, gossips, technology, fact check, and so on. Apart from these, there are articles and blogs written on business, technology, sports and lifestyle too.
SINDOnews
SINDOnews is a popular online news website in Indonesia that was first launched on July 4th 2012. This online news website is owned by the Sindo Media that also owns the daily newspaper Koran Sindo and the Sindo Weekly. Apart from these the company also owns several radio stations and television channels.
SINDOnews is focussed on reporting bout national, metropolitan, regional, economic, business, international, sports, soccer, automotive and technology news. As per the survey of 2018, SINDOnews is one among the top 300 websites in Indonesia. Apart from a strong online presence, SINDOnews also has a strong presence on various social media platforms.
Suara
Suara is an online news portal in Indonesia covering all facets on news including national, international, economy sports, business, political, automobile, technology land lifestyle. Apart from covering the important national and international news, the websites also cater to its users’ interesting news from across the world.
The website was first launched on 11th March 2014 and has grown over the years to become one among the top online news portals in Indonesia. Suara has a team of professional journalists who have experience in working with various media platforms including TV, radio and print.
There are dedicated sections on the website for national, regional and international news, business news, updates on various sporting events, lifestyle, technology and many more. The entire content on the website including the image and video are made available to the users for free.
Merdeka
Merdeka is an online news portal in the Indonesian language that was founded in the year 2014. Though Merdeka was initially founded by a group of web developers, it has developed over the years to be one among the top online news portals in Indonesia. The website covers all facets of news including national, international, business, sports, lifestyle and others.
There are dedicated sections on the website for trending news (which gives the users updates on the important headlines), important events happening in Indonesia, political news, regional news concerning Jakarta, economy, international news, and other infotainment news too. Apart from this, there is also a video gallery. Every content on the website including the images and videos are available free of cost to users.
Kompasiana
Kompasiana is an online citizen journalist portal that is based out of Jakarta, Indonesia. It is more like a monitored blogging platform where anyone living in Indonesia with a flair in writing can create a free account and write. Kompasiana is owned by the Kompas Cyber Media company.
Though one needs to log on to the website to write, you don’t have to log on to read the contents on it. Writers can choose to write well researched and authentic reports on anything ranging from politics, economy, sports, technology, business, trending topics, and so on. The content submitted by the writers would be verified by the team of editors at Kompasiana before publishing it.
Being a citizen journalist portal, Kompasiana is not for or against any political parties or ideologies which assures the readers unbiased reporting of events.
Viva
Viva is an online media platform that is based out of Indonesia. The online portal of Viva was first launched on December 17th, 2008 and has over the years grown to become a leading news and entertainment website in Indonesia. What sets Viva different from the other online media platforms is that Viva gives equal importance to reporting a wide array of news catering to a different category of readers.
The website covers all facets of news including national, international sports, technology, automobile, lifestyle, fashion, and so on. There are dedicated sections on the website for all aforementioned categories and sections for updates of trending topics, interesting vlogs, and many more.
Apart from the online website, Viva has an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube. These social media platforms are regularly updated and readers can also follow these social media pages for regular updates.
JPNN
JPNN is on online media platform in Indonesia that was founded in 2009 and is based out of South Jakarta. The online media platform was launched by JPNN group with a focus on catering authentic and prompt news updates to even the remote corners of Indonesia. JPNN is the largest media network in Indonesia with an active presence on all facets of media including newspapers, radio stations and TV channels. JPNN is known in Indonesia for their large network which is equally spread across cities and the nuke and corners of Indonesia. Owing to which, JPNN’s online media platform has complete access to a plethora of news from even the remotest part of Indonesia.
JPNN covers all facets of news including national, international, politics, policies, economy, sports, and other infotainment sections. There are dedicated sections on the website for each of this aforementioned news. An important part of JPNN’s website is the section for the trending topics. Readers can click on the trending topics of their choice and get complete information about them.
Apart from having a strong presence on the World Wide Web, JPNN also has a strong presence on the various social media platforms. Readers can keep themselves updated on the important events by following their social media pages.
Fajar
Fajar is an online news portal Indonesia owned by the PT. Fajar National Network which is based out of South Jakarta. The online portal was first launched on December 17th, 1996 as the official website of the Koran Fajar (The largest newspaper in the Eastern regions of Indonesia). It was launched in a time when internet penetration in Indonesia was on a rise and there was a shift towards digital platforms. Over the years Fajar started gaining popularity and on February 24th, 2015 Fajar was launched as a national news portal and as a separate entity from the newspaper Koran Fajar.
The online portal covers all facets of news including national, international, politics, economy, sports, and other entertainment news. There are dedicated sections on the website for each of the aforementioned news categories. Apart from being an online news portal, Fajar also publishes a daily E-Paper which is available only for the paid customers.
Though the E-Paper is available only to paid subscribers, the rest of the content online is provided for free.
Solopos
Solopos is an online news portal owned and operated by the Solopos daily newspaper of Indonesia. The daily newspaper Solopos launched their online website on 19th September 2007 to mark their 10th anniversary. Apart from being just another online news portal, Solopos is known to be a creative media network. Solopos is known among its vast reader base for their interesting yet simple and unique style of covering and reporting information.
Similar to the printed edition of the newspaper, the online portal of Solopos covers all facets of information such as updates on national & international events, Sports, national & global economy, technology, lifestyle, and other infotainment news. There are dedicated sections on the website for each of the aforementioned categories of news.
Apart from a strong presence on the World Wide Web, Solopos also has a strong presence on the various social media platforms. Users can follow their social media pages for important updates.
Prokal
Prokal is a popular online news portal in the Indonesian language owned by the PT Duta Prokal Multimedia. The online portal is more like a regional news outlet that is mainly focussed on reporting news from the various regions of Kalimantan. Prokal was founded in the year 2005 with an idea of compiling all news and information about Kalimantan in one place. The PT Duta Prokal Multimedia group is a part of the larger Kaltim Post Group which owns many publishing newspapers in Kalimantan.
Prokal makes use of this workforce of the various newspaper owned by its parent company in gathering regional news. Apart from this, Prokal also gives chances to aspiring journalists and citizens to report local events through their citizen journalist portal. Owing to this large number of reporters and journalists in their workforce, Prokal’s online portal remains the most trusted news source in the Kalimantan region.
The online portal of Prokal has dedicated sections for news from the Central, South, North and West Kalimantan. Apart from the online website, they also have a strong presence on various social media platforms. These social media handles are regularly updated with the recent happening in the Kalimantan region.
Harian Terbit
Harian Terbit is an Indonesian online newspaper based out of Jakarta. Being an online newspaper, Harian Terbit covers all facets of news including national, international, political, sports, economy, and other entertainment news. There are dedicated sections on the website for each of these categories of news. Every content on the website including the image and video content are provided to the customers for free.
Harian Terbit also publishes an e-paper which can be accessed from the official website.
Hidayatullah
Hidayatullah is an Islamic news portal in the Indonesian language. The news portal founded in the year 1996 has the motto of proclaiming the truth of Islam. Apart from the news portal the PT Lentera Jaya Abadi (Owner of Hidayatullah) also publishes the magazine Suara Hidayatullah Magazine.
Though being an Islamic news portal, Hidayatullah covers important national and international news. Hidayatullah mainly focuses on covering news and updates on Islam and important happenings in the Islamic countries across the globe. Apart from these, there are editorials and articles written by Islamic scholars on various topics related to Islam and the Holy Koran. The entire content on the website including the images and videos are made available to the users for free.
Berita Jakarta
Berita Jakarta is an online news portal in Indonesian and English language launched in 2000. The news portal was launched a special news site for the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and is mainly focussed on covering the regional news concerning Jakarta. Being affiliated to the provincial government, Berita Jakarta is a reliable source of information to many.
Though Berita Jakarta mainly covers regional news concerning Jakarta, they also cover important national news. There are dedicated sections on the website for regional news, the portrait of Jakarta, and agenda of activities of the DKI Jakarta Provincial government.
Kedaulatan Rakyat
Kedaulatan Rakyat is an online news portal owned by the Media Kedaulatan Rakyat Group. KR Jogja is in fact, a regional news portal that focuses on reporting news and updates corresponding to Jogja region of Indonesia. Apart from regional news, JR Jogja also covers national news and important international news.
There are dedicates sections on the website for the latest news, local news, economy, and so on. Readers can scroll through their website and read important headlines, latest news, local news and editorials written by the eminent journalists at KR Jogja. Apart from updates and news, the website also informs its readers on the prayer timings.
Inilahcom
Inilahcom is an Indonesian online news portal that is based out of South Jakarta. The website covers all facets of news including national news, updates on automobile and technology and sports. There are dedicated sections on the website for each of these categories of news.
Apart from news and updates on the latest happenings in Indonesia, Inilahcom also has interesting editorials and articles written on various matters concerning Indonesia. Other than the online portal, Inilahcom also has an active presence on various social media platforms.
Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Globe is an online English daily newspaper in Indonesia that is published Monday to Saturday. This online newspaper was 1st launched in November 2008. Jakarta Globe covers all facets of National, international and regional news, updates on economy and business, sports news and other lifestyle and entertainment coverage.
Being an online newspaper, entire content on the portal including the video and images are accessible by the users for free. Apart from the website, Jakarta Globe has an active presence on various social media platforms too.
Jurnas
Jurnas is a popular Indonesian online news portal that was first launched on 26 August 2016. When first launched, Jurnas’ online portal was owned by the National Journal newspaper, which was published in Jakarta. But in 2014 the National Journal newspaper and Jurnas officially became a separate business entity.
The online portal covers everything including national and important international events, economy, business, sports and other lifestyle and entertainment news. There are dedicated sections for each of these categories of news on the website. Apart from the written content, there are video and image contents on the website which are made available to the users for free.
B. Indonesian News Agencies and News Channels
In this section, we will have a look at Indonesia’s leading news agency and its history.
Antara
Antara is an Indonesian News Agency that was founded in the year 1937 when Indonesia was a Dutch colony. It is a state-owned organization that is responsible for supplying news to the regional media organization in Indonesia. It is important to note that, Antara is the only organization in Indonesia with the authority to distribute news from foreign media outlets.
The history of Antara news agency dates back to 1937 when the Dutch founded the Aneta News Agency, which was the predecessor of Antara. With the Japanese invasion of Indonesia in 1942, Aneta was absorbed into the Japanese News Agency D?mei Tsushin. The Antara news agency did play a pivotal role in Indonesia’s declaration of Independence. When the Japanese emperor surrendered, the Indonesian staffs at D?mei Tsushin took control of the news agency and broadcasted Indonesia’s proclamation of Independence.
It was president Sukarno who declared Antara to be the Official national news agency of Indonesia. President Sukarno was successful in using the mass media platforms including Antara in unifying Indonesia. Though Antara was declared the official national news agency, it was largely under control by the government. With the military coup that eventually led to Suharto becoming the president of Indonesia, Antara was under strict supervision by the governmental agencies like every other media platform in Indonesia.
Apart from being the national news agency, Antara also has an online news portal catering to a wide array of native Indonesians and expatriates. The website covers all facets of news including the national, international, economy, sports, business, politics, and so on. There are dedicated sections on the website for the aforementioned category of news.
Along with a strong presence on the world wide web, Antara also has a strong presence on various social media platforms.
Metro TV News
Metro TV News is an Indonesian TV news channel that is based out of West Jakarta. The TV news channel was founded by the Media Indonesia Group on 25th November 2000 and has over the years grown to become a leading news channel in Indonesia. It is important to note that Metro TV news is the only channel in Indonesia to air its program in the Mandarin language and the first channel to be inaugurated by the president himself.
Metro TV news broadcasts 24hrs a day with programs focused on Indonesian & world news. The channel airs its programs in three languages. There are three news programs in English viz; World News, Indonesia Now, and Talk Indonesia. Apart from these, there are programs in Indonesian and the Chinese language. Though Metro TV was primarily focussed on reporting only news, in the recent times they have begun broadcasting other infotainment programs such as documentaries, IT updates, Automobile reviews, health, arts, and so on.
Apart from covering regional & national news, Metro TV cooperates with foreign televisions and news agencies in exchange for news and technology. Owing to which, Metro TV has gained popularity in recent years and has become a leading TV channel in Indonesia.
D. Business newspaper and News websites in Indonesia
Let’s have a look at the business newspapers and news websites in Indonesia.
Warta Ekonomi
Warta Ekonomi is an Indonesian business news magazine that mainly focuses on covering news related to Indonesian and global economy. It is a monthly publication that was founded in 1989 and first entered circulation the same year on June 5th. Warta Ekonomi is owned by the PT Obor Sarana Utama media company and is based out of South Jakarta. Warta Ekonomi is focussed on creating a transparency in the Indonesian and global economic scene and helping businesses make the right decisions for better operations of their businesses.
The magazine caters to its users’ comprehensive updates on national and regional developments happening in Indonesia, national and international news, the impact of Indonesian policies on business, the impact of policies of other countries on the global economy, and so on. Apart from these, the magazine also discusses the current business & economy scenario in various levels ranging from macro, industrial to micro.
Apart from the printed edition of the magazine, Warta Ekonomi also has an online portal catering to users who prefer digital mediums. The online portal covers all the news and updates being covered in the printed edition, apart from others. Though the online portal is primarily focussed on economic news, it also covers important national news including politics, law & order, and regional news. There are dedicated sections on the website for financial news corresponding to various sectors including banking, insurance, multi-finance, and so on.
Apart from the news and updates on economy focussed on Indonesia, there are sections solely for ASEAN and Asia Pacific region. Other than these, Warta Ekonomi also covers updates and news on sports, Travel, entertainment, health and other infotainment sections.
Warta Ekonomi also has an active presence on various social media platforms. These social media handles are regularly updated and users can follow these pages for timely updates.
Bisnis Indonesia
Bisnis Indonesia is an Indonesian daily that is printed and published out of South Jakarta, Indonesia. The newspaper was founded in the year 1985 by three conglomerate business groups viz; Shahid Group, Ciputra Group and the Salim Group. Bisnis Indonesia first entered circulation the same year on December 14th.
Unlike the other newspapers that are in circulation in Indonesia, Bisnis Indonesia has had rather an interesting journey to becoming a popular business daily in Indonesia. Bisnis Indonesia’s first office was at one corner of a service centre in Indonesia. When it was first published it was just another newspaper and faced stiff competition from the major players.
Things started taking a U-Turn with the rise of the Indonesian stock market in 1987 and specifically after the new policy in banking known as Paket Oktober which was rolled out in 1987. After the banking reform, Bisnis Indonesia shifted its focus to reporting business news and specifically on micro-economics. This shift proved to be a major turning point in the history of Bisnis Indonesia and helped them become a popular business daily in Indonesia. The newspaper mainly caters to its user’s financial news, in-depth market insights and industry-related information.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, an online news website was launched in 2003. The website covers all facets of information on business and economy similar to the printed edition. Though the online portal is primarily focussed on covering business news, it also covers the important national and international news.
There are dedicated sections on the website for financial news, updates on economy and analysis of Indonesian and International market. Apart from these, the website also has sections for updates on technology, sports news, lifestyle, and other infotainment section. Bisnis Indonesia also has an active presence on various social media platforms and readers can also follow these social media pages for regular updates.
Business – Jakarta Post
Though not exactly a business daily, the online website of the daily newspaper Jakarta Post is a popular business news portal in Indonesia. There is a dedicated section on the website for business news and updates catering to a wide array of online readers.
This section covers in-depth the various business and economy updates ad news from nuke and corner of Indonesia. Not just the Indonesian economy & business sector, the online news portal also covers important updates on the International economy.
Business – Jakarta Post Online
Business – Jakarta Post Android App
Business – Jakarta Post iOS App
Medan Bisnis
Medan Bisnis is an Indonesian online news portal, exclusively covering news and updates related to Business and economy (both national & international). The news portal covers in-depth about the various business sector including agriculture, industry & commerce, infrastructure, and so on. There are dedicated sections for each of these categories of news. Though Medan Bisnis is a business news portal, they also cover important national & regional news, sports news and lifestyle. Readers can also choose to read the e-paper of Medan Bisnis from the website.
Apart from the website, Medan Bisnis also has an active presence on various social media platforms. These social media handles are regularly updated with recent news. Readers can keep themselves updated by following these social media pages.
C. Sports newspapers and news websites
Being the 4th populous country in the world, Indonesia is a big market for sports news. In this section, we will have a look at the leading sports newspapers and news websites in Indonesia
Top Scores
Top Scores is the first daily newspaper in Indonesia that exclusively covered sports news. The newspaper was first launched in the year 2005 and had over the years has become a popular sport daily with a circulation of 800,000 copies. Top scores cover all facets of news and updates related to all sporting events that are happening inside and outside Indonesia. The extend of sports news the newspaper covers along with the quality has made Top Scores the largest newspaper that is in circulation in Jakarta.
The newspaper has close relationships with sports newspapers and reporters across different countries. For instance, Top Scores works with and exchanges news between the leading sports newspaper in Italy La Gazzetta Dello Sport, and many more newspapers. It is this business relationship and the pool of foreign sports journalists working at Top Scores that has made the newspaper the leading sports daily in Indonesia.
Apart from the printed edition of the newspaper, they also have an online news portal exclusively covering sports news. The online portal covers all facets of news related to sports similar to the printed edition. There are dedicated sections of the website for different sporting events such as F1 racing, football, badminton, boxing, tennis, and so on. Each of these sections has many exclusive news coverages and well-written analysis and articles by eminent sports journalists from in and around Indonesia. The website also has a dedicated photo and video gallery.
Top Scores also has an active presence on various social media platforms. These social media handles are regularly updated with the sports news similar to their online website. Users can choose to follow these pages for regular updates on their favourite sporting events.
Olahraga – MSN Indonesia
Olahraga, which translates to sports is an Indonesia online news webpage exclusively for sports news. The website is owned by the global giant Microsoft news and is one of the popular sports news portals in Indonesia. The website covers all facets of news and updates about the various national and international sporting events. There are dedicated sections on the website for football, Moto GP, Formula 1, Tennis, and others.
Olahraga – MSN Indonesia Online
Olahraga – BBC Indonesia
Olahraga – BBC Indonesia is a webpage on the BBC’s Indonesian online news portal. The website is regularly updated with various news and results of sporting events happening in and around Indonesia.
Olahraga – BBC Indonesia Online
Okesport
Okesport is an online news website which is a subsidiary of the online news portal okezone. The website was first launched in the year 2007 and has over the years grown to become a leading online news portal in Indonesia. Okesport covers all facets of updates and news concerning sports and caters to a wide array of readers who are spread across Indonesia and other countries.
The website has dedicated section or various sports such as tennis, badminton, volleyball, basketball & F1 race. Apart from this, the website also has a dedicated photo and video gallery which the users can access for free.
There is also a section on the website where the sports headlines and featured news are regularly updated.
Sports Tempo
Sports Tempo is a dedicated page on the popular online news portal in Indonesia, Tempo. This section covers all facets of news and updates regarding the various sporting events happening in and around Indonesia. Readers can scroll down this page to access the various sections for different sports. The entire content on the website including the pictures and videos are available to the readers free of cost.
Apart from the online website tempo also has an active presence on various social media platforms. These pages are regularly updated and readers can choose to follow these pages for prompt updates.
Conclusion
With the resignation of President Suharto, the “New order Era” era in Indonesia came to an end. This marked the beginning of liberalisation of the press in Indonesia and the move towards democratisation. After President Suharto’s resignation, the law that gave power to the government to revoke the licence issued to the media organizations were scrapped. This led to a sudden sprout of many news media houses in Indonesia.
It is interesting to note that even after two decades since the end of the “new order era”, media democratisation hasn’t reached anywhere. The growth of media in Indonesia is largely driven by capitalistic interests because of which media democratisation remains a myth.
Instead of democratisation, the entire media scenario in Indonesia is now under the control of a few players. This has eventually lead to people losing trust in these mainstream media and people started looking for alternative sources of news. Even these alternatives which the people found couldn’t fuel the growth of credible alternative media. Now the oligarchy has spread to the digital platforms with the major players investing a lot of money into online media.
Though all these hold correct, the media industry has remained one of the fastest-growing industries since 1998. The capitalistic approach of media houses has turned newspapers and news sites into a commodity. Unhealthy competitions, propagation of hoaxes and false news are becoming common which hinders the people’s right to trustworthy information.
While the Media industry knows no bounds, we at MediaBuzz are working hard to provide encyclopaedic coverage of all the news sources. We are a team of professional writers with a knack for the trends in the world of journalism.
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- What are the top three newspapers in Indonesia?
- Did we miss any deserving newspaper or news website?
- What are your views on the media oligarchy in Indonesia?
- Which is the best newspaper in Indonesia for business, entertainment and sports news?
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