THE MOST POPULAR NEWS PORTAL IN INDONESIA

By Akhmad Kusaeni

Indonesian press goes online since 1995[1]. Some of print media, newspapers and news magazines, put their stories on the web. Republika Daily (http://republika.co.id) and Kompas Daily (http://kompas.com) were amongst the pioneer to go online. Then, others newspapers follow to use web as medium of their publication.
But, Republika and Kompas were not practice online journalism at the beginning. What public read on the websites was almost the same thing that appeared in print edition. So, basically, kompas.com and republika.co.id were still in tradition of print media, not online media.
Then, on 1997, Budiono Darsono and Abdul Rachman, two veterans Indonesian journalist, set up Detik.com (http://www.detik.com) as the real first online newspaper in Indonesia[2]. Detik.com is not only doesn’t have print edition, but also designed for Internet users. Detik is Indonesian word for “second” and provides continuously updated news, hopefully every second.
“It is updated all the times. When important stories occurs, at the same time occurs in the web. There is editorial policy that reporters should report breaking news not more than 10 minutes after it happen. Sometimes we publish stories as it happens,” said Danang Sangga Buwana, Detik.com senior editor[3].
In my opinion, one of the key successes of Detik.com is political transition in Indonesia. A year before President Soeharto falls down on May 1998, political climate in the country was on the rise. Mass demonstrations, ethnic and religious violence and riots were almost happened every time and everywhere. Rumors on military coup were spreading anytime.
Because of government tight control on print and broadcast media, this kind of “hot stories” didn’t appear in mainstream newspapers, radios or televisions. And, people found it at online media, especially on Detik.com. This news portal has become alternative information for Indonesian people during crucial time at the end of New Order corrupt regime.
It was also a proof of diminishing control of New Order government to control flow of information. Soeharto regime could disband publication of newspapers or shut down television stations, but it couldn’t censor or shut down online media. It was not only because we don’t have cyber law yet, but also because too hard to control cyber space.
Detik.com, then, instantly became a runaway success, becoming the most popular news source in Indonesia. Detik.com’s page views rate leaped from 3,000 per day in July 1998, to 735,000 per day by October 2000. Hit rates have also leaped from 15,000 per day to 4,3 million per day.[4]
Although Detik.com have achieved successes financially and credibility, others Indonesian news portal (we have at least 10 news websites) are not lucky enough even just to survive. One of news portal that has becoming dinosaurs was Indonesiakini.com (http://www.Indonesiakini.com). Trying to follow the success of Malaysiakini.com (http://www.malaysiakini.com), this news portal simply couldn’t survive because the lack of funding from investors. It was formally set up on April 1999, and on September 2000 Indonesiakini.com was formally closed down itself.[5]
It was not because of police raid its office or government shut down and arrested its reporters, but it was simply the investors didn’t have more money to fund sustainability their publication. Indonesiakini.com premature death was not political matters, but obviously money matters.
The collapse of some Indonesian news portal was also due to inability of the management and editorial board to present accurate and timely news and stories. Because it is online, it doesn’t mean news portal may abandon principles of good journalism. Because it is cyber world, it doesn’t mean we are free to spread rumors, gossips, and half truth in media online. Because it is uncensored and untouchable by government control, it doesn’t mean we are free to attack anybody or do character assassination to the leaders, politicians or celebrities.
The booming of online media, of course, helps democratization and freedom of the press in Indonesia. Online media enriches public sphere by providing alternative sources of information. It breaks down monopoly of truth by government or mainstream media.
Indonesia doesn’t have regulation to guard freedom of the press in Internet. We don’t have cyber law yet. But, it doesn’t mean that law cannot reach cyber world. According to Brata Mandala, officer at Information Technology of Indonesian Police Headquarters, police might use Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) to deal with cyber crime. [6]
For example, article 335 KUHP is sufficient enough to use for defamation and libel posted in websites. Even if, the host of websites living abroad, Indonesian police will do coordination with International Police (Interpol), FBI or CIA to get the offenders.


[1] Budiono Darsono, “Online Press”, paper for seminar “Print Media Versus Internet in Information Era”, Jakarta, May 27, 2000.
[2] Detik.com company profile (www.intel.com/apac/eng/eBusiness)
[3] Interview with author on March 12, 2004.
[4] Detik.com company profile (www.intel.com/apac/eng/eBusiness)

[5] Kompas daily, “Media Online Business”, 2003
[6] Sinar Harapan Daily, “The Law for Online Press”, January 22, 2002.