Citizen Journalism Practice: Contributor as Spy Agent: Case Study

of Editorial Policies of Citizen Journalism in Pasang Mata and

Kompasiana Media

Ido Prijana Hadi

, Alexander Setiawan

, Desi Yoanita

, Agusly Irawan Aritonang

Department of Communicaction Science, Petra Christian University, Jl. Siwalankerto 121-131 Surabaya

Department of Informatics Engineering, Petra Christian University, Jl. Siwalankerto 121-131 Surabaya

Keywords: Citizen Journalism, Editorial Policies, Pasang Mata, Kompasiana

Abstract: Citizen journalism has become the main term that refers to the various news-gathering and reporting

practices conducted through various new digital technologies. One of the problems is in the era of the

information society, the accuracy of news or information becomes a serious matter. The term "hoax" or

information that contains the element of lie becomes a term that often happens almost every day. This study

aims to determine how citizen journalism practices from media actors manage media Pasang Mata and

Kompasiana, including the exploring of how theories of building citizen journalism in terms of

understanding the relationship between the editor and the contributors. The paradigm of this research is

interpretive, with a qualitative approach using case study method. The study emphasizes the variety of

empirical experiences of the informants who are directly involved. The results of this study showed that the

editor always verify data from the contributors as spy agents before the news published. The media platform

is available in the form of a website and mobile application, in which the contributor submits an automatic

news entry on the two platforms. Active contributors will earn points when text, photos, and videos are

published.The implication of learning about the dynamics of media in the era of online media and digital

media applications are the media to become a medium for audience learning and to accommodate the public

interest. The audience in addition to being a news contributor is also an event spy agency.

1 INTRODUCTION

The reason to examine the media Pasang Mata

(Pasang Mata.detik.com/) and Kompasiana

(kompasiana.com), because both media citizen

journalism are quite famous in Indonesia. Pasang

Mata is a medium with online platforms (web and

mobile apps), where the uniqueness of the form of

text, photos, and video. Pasang Mata claims as of

March 2018 has had 16,000 registered accounts in

the form of emails and phone numbers. The

contributors from citizens who send news in text,

photos or video total between 300-400 per day.

While, which successfully published about 150-200,

the rest according to the editorial does not meet the

requirements of news.

Meanwhile, Kompasiana media with blog

platform and online publication developed by

Kompas Cyber Media since October 22, 2008. The

name Kompasiana itself is taken from the column

name filled by the Founder of Daily Kompas, PK

Ojong. Kompasiana is a news channel and public

opinion (Citizen News and Opinion Channel). Based

on statistical data as of December 2016, its members

are 327,000 people, 500 article submissions per day,

260 visitors per day and 7.7 million visitors per

month.

Previous relevant research related to editorial

policy in some media has been done. Such as

research in print media conducted by Nurhasanah

(2011) who examines Media Indonesia Editorial

Policy.Then, other research on application-based

media by Benazir (2015), titled Detikcom News Site

Editorial Policy on Twitter social networking.

While, research related to citizen journalism ever

done by Yani (2011) with the title of Annida Online

Editorial Policy In the channel Citizen Journalism.

Based on the description, this study focuses on

how citizen journalism practices in editorial policy

in their media editorial space, whether based on

Pasang Mata or Kompasiana applications based on

blogs and websites. The significance of this research

is expected to provide a real picture to citizens about

the editorial policy of citizen journalism, media in

392

Hadi, I., Setiawan, A., Yoanita, D. and Aritonang, A.

Citizen Journalism Practice: Contributor as Spy Agent: Case Study of Editorial Policies of Citizen Journalism in Pasang Mata and Kompasiana Media.

DOI: 10.5220/0009021600002297

In Proceedings of the Borneo International Conference on Education and Social Sciences (BICESS 2018), pages 392-395

ISBN: 978-989-758-470-1

managing the quality of output from citizens, by

citizens to the citizens themselves.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 The Democratic Participant Media

Theory

The Democratic participants media theory are

almost identical to the concept of citizen journalism,

in which society as a central point in horizontal

communication. Individuals and minorities have the

right to use the media (the right to communicate)

and the right to be served by the media in

accordance with the needs, interests and aspirations

of recipients in the political community, in relation

to the right to relevant information (see McQuail,

1983).

This theoretical concept is almost identical to the

concept of citizen journalism, in which society as a

central point in horizontal communication.

Individuals and minorities have the right to use the

media (the right to communicate) and the right to be

served by the media in accordance with the needs,

interests and aspirations of recipients in the political

community, in relation to the right to relevant

information.

2.2 Citizen Journalism and Accuracy

Citizen journalism is an informative production

process that involves ordinary citizens, not from a

professional journalist. This journalistic product

contributes directly to the public, by way of

publishing information owned through the existing

media. Mark Glazer on his website at Mediashift

defines citizen journalism as, "everyone, without the

special skills and training as well as professional

journalists, with their simple communication

technology, can do coverage, upload, and distribute

news through online media” (see Nugraha, 2012).

According to Rich (2010), the concept of citizen

journalism involves the reader and audience in

covering and reporting the news, called citizen

journalism, participatory journalism, or user-

generated content. On the other hand, citizen

journalism is also a kind of effort from media

organizations to increase their interaction with

audiences. The contributors are commonly called

citizen journalists, because they are not staff

members of media organizations, even though they

write blogs whose basis is a media site.

A news can be trusted if it has accuracy. Inaccurate

reports will lose their reputation and trust and

abandon their audience. Affirmed by Stovall (2005)

accuracy can be seen from the completeness of the

element who, what, when, where, why and how.

3 METHODOLOGY

This study uses an interpretive paradigm, which,

according to Neuman (2000) in the context of social

research is used to perform interpretations and

understand the reasons of the perpetrators of social

action that they do. That is the ways in which the

principals construct their lives and the meaning they

give to that life. Researchers seek to understand

deeply the practice of citizen journalism from

managers and users of applications, especially in

consuming and publishing news. Field research

activities conducted by the case study method. Data

collection techniques by conducting in-depth

interviews with media manager Pasang Mata and

Kompasiana.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Editors Verify Data from

Contributors as Information Spy

Agents

Pasang Mata as a citizen media from detik.com

which has a tagline be spy information is a web-

based media and mobile application. Citizens can

directly convey information through the online

platform (web and mobile apps) Pasang Mata.com.

Pasang Mata implements data verification when its

members will send event information, in the form of

text, images and video. Verify data by login

according to email and password. Principally

everyone who is registered as a spy can have access

to Pasang Mata.com.

On the Pasang Mata.com website, there is Spy

Boss that is called for admin Pasang Mata.com. The

Administrator or Spy Boss is in charge of

monitoring the content, verifying the content and

displaying it on pairs.com, as well as establishing

communications with the members. The Spy Boss

has the right to remove content that violates the

terms, edit the content, manage the time of the

content, to alert the warning, and to block spying

accounts.

Citizen Journalism Practice: Contributor as Spy Agent: Case Study of Editorial Policies of Citizen Journalism in Pasang Mata and

Kompasiana Media

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Meanwhile, Kompasiana develops citizen

journalism with a writing platform for social blogs.

Write about social media, which allows writers to

connect with each other. Because it will directly deal

with many readers. Writing in Kompasiana his form

can be in the form of sentences, paragraphs, or can

be on several pages. On the other hand, who

commented on our idea ofKompasiana not only the

netter who became our friend, but the other

Kompasianer (contributors) scattered.

The writing platform in Kompasiana is divided

into three activities, IE citizen version of events,

reports, citizen opinion writing, and fiction writing

by citizens. Generally, events are written in the form

of news, features, in the form of travel reports,

culinary, or biographies. However, most writings

appear in the form of opinion or fiction, which of

course raises criticism that Kompasiana cannot be

called the media citizen journalism

4.2 The Focus of the Editor's Policies

are Mainly on Content

Kompasiana editors reserve the right to moderate

each content to ensure it does not violate the terms

and conditions. If Kompasianer does not agree,

please do not access and use this site. As for every

best content, Kompasiana will promote it 7x24

hours to be read by more people.The reason people

read, as well as contributor information is very

diverse. One of them to share information. The

content they access gives an understanding of what

reality is. Furthermore, Suparno Jumar (45 years)

one of Pasang Mata active contributors said,

"Pasang Mata.com is able to create an awareness

about the importance of public participation in

delivering useful information, concerning the public

interest and what is not found in mainstream media".

Kompasiana focus to the content. As stated by

Iskandar Zulkarnaen (Chief Operation Officer) to

the researcher, “so anyone who writes or sends

anything to Kompasiana will be seen carefully.

Given since the beginning Kompasiana platform has

been writing. Indonesian society, writes”.

Meanwhile, Pasang Mata contributors must send

their own and new content, photos and videos. Not

allowed to take the property of others. If this is not

considered, will be blacklisted by the editor.

Managers or administrators are parties who have

access to moderate and manage content. Managers

are responsible for checking and managing incoming

content, processing account verification, and

establishing communications with members.

Managers have the right to remove content that

violates the terms, edit the content, manage the time

of the content, serve the warning, and block the

account.

4.3 Discussion

Pasang Mata and Kompasiana are few cases of

citizen journalism, media that can survive. Where

until this research is done in 2018, the media has

become a kind of open virtual campus, a gathering

of many contributors and authors with diverse

interests and interests to share information.

Contributors will be better off if they write based on

their own experiences, in accordance with what they

know and experience.

Citizen participation in content production

systems puts citizens at the center of information

speed. Citizens become important and decisive

actors in information dissemination. The social

action of citizens reporting events or events is a form

of citizen journalism with the speed of a live report

on the spot and the principle of the news that you

can use. Reports from citizens, by citizens and for

citizens give a space of expression and encourage

the strengthening of information from citizens, by

citizens, and for citizens.

Ordinary citizens are free to voice their hearts, so

through this media channel citizens are noticed,

heard, appreciated as citizens who have the right to

speak. As affirmed in the democratic participant

media theory, the practice of citizen journalism is a

form of horizontal communication.The implications

give rise to a growing space of intellectual dialectics

that is healthy, democratic, and there is no repressive

attitude of the government. The public is free to

express their ideas while maintaining the courtesy of

internet communication. As affirmed by Nugraha

(2013) that a writer is bound by good morals and the

value of the universal value of goodness that exists

in each of his own authors.

Freedom of speech in virtual space still demands

good ethics and morals from every communication

actor. Therefore, the demand for equality of rights

and duties must be balanced. Unrest among ordinary

citizens of ideas or opinions not channeled in the

mainstream media can be mediated by the media

citizen journalism. Citizens can write anything as

facts for dissemination and sharing of information

including opinion writing. On the other hand, the

democratic readers can also judge, criticize, and

comment on the writing.

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5 CONCLUSION

The development of citizen journalism has grown

into an alternative medium for citizens. Information

dissemination is no longer a monopoly of

professional journalists. Ordinary citizens are able to

produce news, according to their own version. The

role of the editor becomes a kind of content

gatekeeper, which verifies the data according to the

applicable terms and conditions, furthermore, must

be obeyed by the contributors of their spy agency.

The interaction of contributors or authors with news

readers can happen instantly in commenting on what

they write or report.

The implications of citizen journalism practice in

democratic media culture are able to change the

mindset of government officials, consequently,

institutional leaders to be more transparent in their

policies. Ordinary citizens become spies in sharing

information. They are no longer afraid to speak of

political policy and repressive actions of the ruler

who in the name of political stability. Tagline that

can be delivered is from citizens, by citizens, for the

benefit of citizens for the benefit of the citizens

themselves.

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McQuail, Dennis. 1983. “Mass Communication Theory”.

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Neuman, W.L. 2000. “ Social Research Methods:

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Nugraha, Pepih. 2012. “ Citizen Journalism: Pandangan,

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