Impact of New Media, and Mode of News Reporting
in North Sumatra
Hendra Harahap, Yovita Sabarina Sitepu and Fatma Wardy Lubis
Department of Communication, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia
Keywords: New Media, Mode of News Reporting, North Sumatra-Indonesia
Abstract: Studies in the presence of new media and its relationship with conventional media recently could be mapped
into three trends. Firstly, studies in media competition between traditional and online media. These studies,
generally put online media both in a position that is superior to traditional media, and also as a complement
to the existence of traditional media. Second, studies that explore patterns of online and print media
consumption that show dualism in the use of media by the public. These study highlight how consumers use
online and print media together and are complementary (complementary models). Third, studies that look at
the impact of social media on journalism practices that give a new character to the system and mechanism of
media work. This article will explain the relationship between the growth of new media, media competition
and its impacts on the mode of news reporting in North Sumatra, Indonesia. This article starts with the
assumption that the massive expansion of new media can also have a positive impact on the industry and
media organizations.
1 INTRODUCTION
Massive expansion of online media has become an
important factor for the decline in circulation,
changes in format, to the death of print media. The
development of online media in Indonesia began to
emerge since the era of the 2000s. In 2017, the
existence of online media grew rapidly into 43,200
media (Dewan Pers Indonesia, 2017), and is
suspected to have caused for the close down some of
big newspaper/Tabloid such as Bola, Bernas and
Tempo. Experts saw the popularity and acceptance of
new media is driven by the need for more recent and
fast information (Salman et al., 2011: 4). Bird also
confirmed that now digital technology has
transformed "printed information" and one-way
journalistic perspectives. Much research has proven
that fewer young people read newspapers. This
generation may still need news, but their "news
habits" have changed (Bird, 2009).
Studies in the presence of new media and its
relationship with conventional media recently could
be mapped into three trends. Firstly, studies in media
competition between traditional and online media.
These studies, generally put online media both in a
position that is superior to traditional media, and also
as a complement to the existence of traditional media
(Dimmick, Chen & Li, 2004; Chyi & Lasorsa, 2002).
Second, studies that explore patterns of online and
print media consumption that show dualism in the use
of media by the public (Dutta-Bergmann, 2004; Peng
& Zhu, 2010). These study highlight how consumers
use online and print media together and were
complementary. Third, studies that look at the impact
of social media on journalism practices that give a
new character to the system and mechanism of media
work (Chyi, Yang, Lewis, & Zheng, 2010; Hayes
et.al, 2007). Media convergence studies were used as
study topics and are considered to have the principle
of "same values and new tools". The recently use of
different platform by the media, however, still
communicates the same values.
This paper explained the development of online
media and its impact to print media North Sumatra.
Two questions can be asked: (1) What is the reality of
the impact of the development of online media for
print media? and (2)) What was the consequences in
ideological orientation, values and colors of media
coverage? These three questions will explain the
relationship of the growth of new media, media
competition and its impacts on the mode of news
reporting.
Harahap, H., Sitepu, Y. and Lubis, F.
Impact of New Media, and Mode of News Reporting in North Sumatra.
DOI: 10.5220/0010034103730378
In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Social and Political Development (ICOSOP 3 2019) - Social Engineering Governance for the People, Technology and Infrastructure in
Revolution Industry 4.0, pages 373-378
ISBN: 978-989-758-472-5
Copyright
c
 2020 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
373

2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Before the invention of the internet, studies of mass
communication mainly analyzed the competition
between print media (newspapers and magazines) and
electronic media (radio and television). As the
internet grows and develops and becomes the most
important thing in the process of producing and
consuming information, communication studies
begin to shift to competition between traditional
media and online media (Cai, 2004; Dimmick, Chen
& Li, 2004; Dutta-Bergmann, 2004; Peng & Zhu,
2010).
The newspaper industry around the world began
experimenting with online media in the mid-1990s
when newspapers launched their electronic news
editions on the Web. Newspaper companies hope that
their dual product offerings will go hand in hand with
rising revenues. In reality, the online edition has
failed to generate enough revenue to cover the print
flaws, as evidenced in the 2009 US newspaper crisis.
Online media news serves more to replace than as
traditional media supplements, especially when more
and more people use the internet. Changing of media
platform from newspapers to online media, however,
is only related to the context of time, but not to
function. Practically, the audience may turn to online
media, however, they may turn back to newspapers
when they want to meet specific needs.
Media convergence has been widely studied in
media studies. Foust, for example, sees the nature of
the convergence of new media as having an important
effect in value construction because the media
involves online text, graphic/photo, sound and video
elements that distinguish them from conventional
communication patterns. The presence of this new
media has made communication cheap, easy,
expanding, unlimited space, and open (Abdullah,
2017: 116). Pratt (2000) also asserts that what causes
new media is also called multimedia which is literally
a convergence of text, sound and images in the same
media.
Online media can facilitate its users in accessing
and contributing ideas and opinions without limits
and this is evident in the decline in access to current
American print media (Cacciatore et.al, 2012). Mass
media such as television, radio and newspapers
function as the main information media in
disseminating information. The emergence of online
media today, however, has made drastic changes in
the world's media landscape. This evolution has
expanded access to information for the public without
being limited by space and time (Ho et al, 2019).
Pawito (2014: 6) in his article explained the
concept of media ideology was closely related to
believe systems, basic ways of thinking, worldviews,
and values carried by the media. Media ideology in a
general context refers to the entire channel used such
as television, print media and so on. In another article,
the media industry cannot be separated from
economic aspects that have an association with the
phenomenon of disruption that gives birth to the
adoption of technology in its activities to survive in
its business model (Karimi and Walter, 2016). So that
an important aspect that needs attention in the study
of print media ideology is the system and values
carried by print media entities in order to maintain
sustainability amid technological dynamics and
increasingly adoption of technology in public spaces.
The presence of online media receives special
attention, which can be seen from several studies that
associate new media with conventional media
(Rianto, 2016) or research that compares online
media with print or newspaper, for instance De Waal,
et al (2005) to research on the influence of online
media in social aspects (Byrne, et al., 2013). The
process of digitalization and internet penetration that
leads to accelerating the development of online media
in turn leads to technological disruption that
challenges the conventional print media business
model. Christensen in Karimi and Walter (2016: 342),
however, show that in this case the problem lies in the
business model not the technology problem. The
changes in ideology in print media must look at
aspects of the business, profit and loss of the company
when adopting new technologies in its products and
services.
3 METHODS
This study focuses on the development of online
media and its impact on the survival of print media
and the shift in journalistic practices in North
Sumatra, Indonesia. Within this province, online
media expansion is quite high in Indonesia.
This study uses a qualitative approach. Data
collected through deep interviews with informants
who came from journalists/editors and or owners of
print and online media in two cities in North Sumatra
Province. Data on online media expansion was
obtained from Indonesian Press Council, and Public
Relations Bureau from five local/district government
cities in North Sumatra. Focus Group Discussion also
implemented to the media manager, the public
relations officer of local government. The FGD was
conducted to obtain comprehensive information on
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expansion, the impact of online media on the media
and the strategy of the sustainability of print media in
the era of media convergence.
3 RESULTS
3.1 The Existence of Print and Online
Media on Local City in North
Sumatra Province
North Sumatra Province was one of 34 provinces in
Indonesia. Population of this province in 2018 was
around 13 million people, and became fifth largest
province in Indonesia. Based on Indonesian Press
Council Report, in 2016 North Sumatra had the
lowest press freedom index of 34 provinces in
Indonesia. This province consists of 33 local cities,
most of which have similarities with Indonesia in
increasing number of media, from only 2011 in year
of 2014 to 43200 in 2017 (Dewan Pers Indonesia,
2018).
Table 1: Number of Print and Online Media in several
cities in North Sumatra Province (2018)
Local City in North
Sumatra Province
Number of online media
Pematang Siantar 40
Simalungun 30
Serdang Begadai 175
Medan 430
Langkat 60
This online media, however, is not up to 5%
registered/verified by the Indonesian Press Council.
The presence of online media is due to several factors,
namely: 1) The cost of using the internet and
smartphones is increasingly affordable; 2) In 2012,
many online media were born, both nationally and
centrally in Jakarta to districts/cities in North
Sumatra; 3) Increased operational costs of print media
such as paper, ink each year; 4) Getting information
through online media and social media was easier and
cheaper. This was also accompanied by cheap prices
of smart phone devices and the internet as a tool to
get information; 5) Practical interests, for example as
a media campaign in the general election or regional
head elections, or as a means of cooperation with
local government in dissemination of information and
policy.
The number of death mainstream media, in line
with the expansion of online media, has increased
sharply since 2012. Number of print media in
Pematang Siantar –one of local city in North
Sumatera Province- declined sharply from 18 to 6
medium. While in Medan as a biggest city, for 2019
there were 15 print newspapers which no longer
published. This data was in line with the development
trend of print media in Indonesia from 2014 to 2019
which shows that for six years there were 644 print
media –mostly in 2018- that were no longer operating
in Indonesia.
Table 2: Number of Print Media (all type) in Indonesia
(2014-2019)
Years Number of print media
2014 1321
2015 1218
2016 810
2017 793
2018 744
2019 644
Source: Indonesian Newspaper Publishers Union,
2019
The circulation of print media was also declined
sharply from 2014 to 2019 (around 10.467164
copies). Newspaper publishers say, in addition to the
impact of technological change (the emergence of
online media, social media, drastic changes in the
pattern of use of the medium among the audience),
this condition is also caused by the high price of
printing (paper, ink and others). One newspaper
owner in Medan, Andika Sania, stated: "In North
Sumatra paper prices have fallen three times. We
have conveyed to President Jokowi to abolish the 10
percent paper tax. We have always participated in the
struggle for independence and helped educate the
nation".
Table 3: Number of Print Media circulation (all type)
in Indonesia (2014-2019)
Years Circulation (in .000)
2014 23,336
2015 21,545
2016 19,079
2017 17,175
2018 14,299
2019 12,869
Source: Indonesian Newspaper Publishers Union,
2019
Another impact on the presence of online media
was the high dependence on advertising revenue.
Advertising and forms of collaboration between the
media and local government were the main sources of
media revenue. The largest newspaper customers
since 2014 were local government agencies, State
Owned Enterprise (BUMN), Local State Owned
Impact of New Media, and Mode of News Reporting in North Sumatra
375

Enterprise (BUMD), private companies, while the
number of individual customers has decreased.
Riduan Saragih, newspaper owner in Pematang
Siantar, said: “Before the presence of online media,
the condition of the existing print media was not good
either. News value was low and no sale value.
Content of the media mostly were advertorial pages,
especially from government and private institutions.
Before 2015, there was an advertising monopoly from
these institutions by one or two print media. This
monopoly, however, recently is no longer valid. The
number of mediums is increasing and these
institutions have also shared advertising of their
products into various medium”.
3.2 Print Media Strategy
The expansion of online media has an impact on print
media strategy to survive. The main strategy which
used was collaborative advertising and reporting,
especially with Local Government, and Local State
Owned Enterprise (BUMD). The increasing number
of print and online media in both study areas
strengthens the assumption that this phenomenon
purely related to the flourishing of the cooperation
model through a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between local media and local government.
An interesting example was local government in
Medan City, when in 2017 interacted with 339 media
consisting of 33 daily newspapers, 118
weekly/tabloid newspapers, 165 online media, 4
radios, 10 magazines and 9 television (Data Bureau
of Public Relations, Medan City Government, 2017).
Informant Amril (38 years old) a journalist from a
daily newspaper in Medan described this
phenomenon.
"The newspaper business competition is getting
tougher because advertisements from local
partners such as property businesses and others
have been much reduced since 2015. The target of
advertising which is still stable is in government
agencies, where they still allocate advertising
spending for the policy socialization program and
its activities. This is the reason why many
newspaper companies are starting to rush to
target cooperation with the government”.
The strategy through the MoU with local
governments in the city districts was suspected to
cause in weakness of media independence. Journalists
mention the existence of "unwritten requirements" -
called the term "firewall" - which makes the media
unable to report negative facts from the local
government in the City District that has a MoU with
them. Violation of this firewall will cause termination
of the MoU for the next fiscal year. As a result, the
contents of print media will be dominated by
advertorial activities as a form of compensation in the
form of selling pages to local governments and other
institutions. In some media, however, this firewall
still could not apply. In the City of Pematang Siantar
and Simalungun, for example, some media still
maintain their independence by reporting positive or
negative information on the local government that
carries out a MoU with them. A newspaper owner,
Hendy (58 years), confirmed that:
“We also understand the journalistic code of
ethics and in presenting news always apply the
ethics of objectivity and independence. News in
our newspaper still holds the 5W 1H principle,
always confirm and consider the selling points of
the news. For marketing, we make cooperation
with the district and city governments. However,
if they have committed violations, they will still be
reported”.
The reduced circulation of print media was not
only affect the operating costs of print media but also
journalistic products. This study shows that the
investigative journalism model is not widely used in
their journalistic activities. The main reason was the
reduced cost of reporting to produce investigative
journalism works and also the differences in reporting
style between print and online media. Online media
reporters would prioritize the speed of news, while
print media was more on the depth of news. In
addition, many journalists began to analyze deeply
about a phenomenon or what was behind the news.
The expansion of online media, in turn, also had
an impact on "the concept of news values which were
not only worth selling but also in favor of the public
interest. The results of the study showed that there
were two models which imply in area of study. First,
a news model that promotes local content, as found in
the weekly newspaper in the Simalungun district. In
each editions, 97% of its information contained local
content and news sourcers was also from Simalungun
ethnic. Second, imply multi-platform model which
deals with changes in reader segmentation, especially
in online media. One of the online media in Pematang
Siantar, for example, is taking the segmentation of
readers aged 18 to 35 years based on the consideration
that: (1) This segmentation of readers was able to
follow technological developments that are indeed
needed to search and read digital/online media; (2)
Based on the locality of experience, readers with the
age group of 18 to 25 years had an interest in criminal
information which was the focus of this media news.
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4 DISCUSSIONS
The findings of this study provide important evidence
to understand the impact of online media expansion
on print media in North Sumatra. On the one hand,
these findings had similarities with results of studies
which state that online media expansion has a
massive impact on decreasing circulation and the
non-operation of print media that previously had a
strategic position in society (Bird, 2009; Dimmick,
Chen & Li, 2004). The reduced circulation or even
non-operation of print media is mainly due to the
increasingly practical, easy and freedom of the users
to get information through online media and social
media.
These findings, however, also signal that the
existence hundreds of media with various platforms
in North Sumatra province could be considered a
"warning" in the emerge of dark portrait of media life
in Indonesia. Negative constructions of the media
would emerge in society given that most of these
media exist from "interactions" with the government
at the local level, had weakness independence and
were generally not supported by journalists with
professionalism and ethical codes. This model of
media survival does not rely on the general logic of
supply-demand elasticity but rather simply utilizes
the budget niche available in local government.
The findings on news model which prioritized
speed versus depth, and straight versus investigative
news were interesting evidence. The two models of
journalistic practice were always considered
dichotomy in the sense that speed and straight news
were the domain of online media while depth and
investigative work procedures were mainstream
media. In practice, multi-platform made it possible
for both principles to be used simultaneously and
complementary. Print media that carry multi-platform
need not worry about the effects of the upcoming
cannibalization. The use of print and online media
which complement each other, however, was very
unlikely to be built in a news climate that relies on
"relationships and interactions" with local
government. The findings of this study of this
phenomenon (again) confirm the function of the
media as an extension of the state- which functions
itself not only as a media regulator but also as a bad
advertiser in shaping the life of an enlightening
media.
The findings which focusing in local content
issues, further, were significant to be developed by
print media in North Sumatra province. Local content
issues becomes important to realize the diversity of
information sources, perspectives and types of
exposure in the media industry. Local content policies
if applied in print media make it possible to distribute
power among local communities which further could
serve to promote healthy democracy.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Studies which used concepts and theories on media
impact, and ethical concepts in media reporting were
sufficient in exploring the phenomenon of online
media expansion in North Sumatra. The concepts and
theories proposed, however, need to be developed
further and given the broader scope on the impact of
online media which includes online consumption,
consumption patterns of online and print media
simultaneously.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This article is an output from research that has
been sponsored by DRPM Fund from Ministry of
Research and Technology –2018-2019; Press
Strategy on Facing Development of Digital
Technology in North Sumatra.
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