Jakarta Communication and Informatics Ministry’s Public Information and Communication Director General Usman Kansong pressed for a regulation on business ecosystem mechanism for a level playing field between digital platforms and media outlets to improve journalistic quality.

Creating a healthy ecosystem through regulation is expected to automatically improve the quality of journalism, he noted at a discussion here Saturday.

According to Kansong, the government sees that the world of press is plagued by two problems occurring globally. The first issue pertains to the business model, while the second concerns journalism itself.

Addressing the issue within the press world necessitates figuring out the root of the problem, he remarked.

“The government sees the root of the problem stems from the business model or unhealthy business ecosystem between digital platforms and the media outlets,” he explained.

These digital platforms have created an unhealthy business ecosystem. For instance, they create an ecosystem where clickbait news made money, he noted.

“This makes media outlets compete against one another to create clickbait news, which lowers the quality of journalism. That is more or less how it goes,” he pointed out.

Many media platforms, including social media, comply with the situation. Thus, the business ecosystem created by the platforms causes a decline in journalistic quality.

To this end, the business mechanism and ecosystem should be regulated, and this can be achieved through a presidential regulation. Thus, a healthy business ecosystem through cooperation between digital platforms and media outlets can be created, Kansong remarked.

He stated that the ministry had already delivered the Publishers’ Rights Presidential Regulation to receive President Joko Widodo’s permit.

Once the president gives the permit, the draft has to be discussed once again, he noted.

Source: Antara News