It I interesting to write about the disappearing press and media industry as testified by the massive employment termination in media - CNN, TV One, Kompas TV, Viva.co.id, and other media. Kompas TV terminated 150 workers, CNN 200 workers, and TV One 75 workers, while Republika sent 60 staff home, including 29 journalists. On the other hand,

RRI (Indonesian Radio Broadcast) and TVRI (Indonesian Television Broadcast) did the same – cutting off outsourcing contracts, and non-civil service personnel in the name of efficiency. One reason for the crisis in the media industry is the reduction in income from government advertisement as advertisement was a major income for the media industry in the past, particularly television. Yet in the last few years, government budget cut has direct impact on public spending.

At the same time, other pressures come from the top with the consolidation of the oligarchy and the increasing influence of investors on the Old Media industry which threaten editors’ independence. New report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) highlights the drastic decrease in press freedom index in Indonesia in 2025.

Xtudio’s Instagram content suggests that journalists are no ordinary people. They write news on a daily basis, observe realities, and bring facts, not drama, to the public. Yet today they must say, "Thank you for your attention to date," and then silent and disappear. What goes wrong with the journalists? Faces that people see on television every morning is disappearing one-by-one. It is not because of scandal, neglect or hoax, but because of one thing only: The world changes too quickly and they become the silent victims.

How is this so? (1) Because Gen Z no longer watches morning news. (2) Television is busy managing ratings. (3) Information is available 24/7 on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. (4) Everyone can be the media. (5) Everyone can be journalists. The Newsroom, on the other hand, still believes that people “need to watch news.” The irony is that those closest to the essence of journalism (reporting, verification, and presenting the news) are becoming the victims:
When income from advertisement falls, media can no longer tighten the expenses. So they eliminate the people behind the news, rather than the news itself. This is no longer about the industry, but more about identity. Journalism is no longer exclusive. Algorithm replaces news authority, and “news” has to compete with 15-seconds content, the public is not waiting, as it is responding to notification.

One example is decentralisation away from the centre, when anyone can broadcast news and replace the Old Media (Television, Print Media) dominance owned by corporation. Broadcasting equipment also changes, where internet and mobile phone connection replaces Old Media reliance on studio, license and frequency. The same happens to production factor, where the New Media makes use of blogger, citizens, journalistic and content creators, rather than a collection of reporters, editors, producers, and camera people.

Citing Tempo.co, the Communication Lecturer at Gadjah Mada University, Wisnu Prasetyo Utomo suggests that the pressure(s) on the majority of media happen(s) due to their being unprepared to adapt in the middle of digital disruption. He says that such unpreparedness has been going on for a while and made worst by global crisis, changes in political situation, and government efficiency policy that cut the budget for media advertisement. Wisnu also observes changes in people’s information consumption pattern as another cause for the drastic decline in media ecosystem. He highlights that main media I not the only source of information now.

What to Do?
There is only one way – to face the challenge, through systematic transformation by urging the State to come up with policies that would protect media industry and the workers - not by political intervention but by ensuring economic sustainability and editorial independence. The next step is for the media companies to invest in digital investment through platform design, prescription model(s), to presentation of data journalism. The subsequent step would be to provide early digital literacy education to the people so that they are able to distinguish quality information from disinformation. (ast)