Minister Backs East Java Media Summit 2026 to Expand Creative Products into Digital Markets

Indonesia's Minister of Creative Economy, Teuku Riefky Harsya, has encouraged local media to take on a broader role as strategic connectors between regional creative products and wider digital markets.

The message was delivered during a meeting between executives of Suara.com and Beritajatim.com at the Ministry of Creative Economy's office in Autograph Tower, Thamrin Nine, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (June 30, 2026).

During the discussion, Riefky said local media could play a vital role in expanding market access for regional creative businesses while strengthening intellectual property (IP) protection to improve the competitiveness of local works at both the national and international levels.

"The Ministry of Creative Economy and the East Java Media Summit team can collaborate to help local intellectual property (IP) go national, or even go global," said Teuku Riefky Harsya.

He noted that East Java is among Indonesia's fastest-growing creative economy regions, making it a strategic area for building a stronger ecosystem that connects creators, media organizations, and digital markets.

According to Riefky, the collaboration would also provide an opportunity to identify challenges faced by both local media and creative industry players, including issues related to data, training, financing, market access, and policy support.

"Whether the challenges involve data, training, financing, market access, or policy support, these are the issues that the ecosystem being developed through the East Java Media Summit seeks to address," he said.

Riefky also highlighted the growing problem of piracy affecting creative industry players, including online media organizations. He stressed that protecting intellectual property remains one of the government's top priorities.

"The Ministry of Creative Economy, together with Suara.com and Beritajatim, can collaborate to build a healthy creative industry ecosystem that supports one another and spreads inspiration to other regions across Indonesia," Riefky said.

Local Media Expands Beyond Newsrooms

During the meeting, Suara.com and Beritajatim.com presented a series of initiatives demonstrating how local media are evolving beyond their traditional role as news providers. Their programs include podcasts, regional training activities, and affiliate partnerships with e-commerce platforms that create new economic opportunities for communities.

Beritajatim Editor-in-Chief Dwi Eko Lokononto said regional media must become financially independent by developing new business models rather than relying solely on conventional revenue sources.

"This is also what gave birth to the East Java Media Summit. We want to encourage media organizations, as publishers, to become active players in the creative economy," said Lokononto, who is widely known as Cak Luki.

East Java Media Summit 2026 Introduces the 'Beyond Media' Concept

Scheduled to take place in Surabaya at the end of July, the East Java Media Summit 2026 will adopt the 'Beyond Media' concept, positioning local media as facilitators and strategic bridges connecting local creative products with broader digital markets.

Suara.com Head of Community Rendy Adrikni Sadikin said collaboration with the Ministry of Creative Economy represents a strategic step toward strengthening East Java's creative economy ecosystem.

"We hope to receive the full support of Minister of Creative Economy Teuku Riefky Harsya for the East Java Media Summit 2026," Rendy said.

He added that government involvement would help generate tangible policies and support for creative entrepreneurs across the region.

"This initiative is driven by the shared vision of the Ministry of Creative Economy and the East Java Media Summit to advance and strengthen Indonesia's creative economy ecosystem, particularly in East Java," Rendy added.

The East Java Media Summit 2026 is expected to serve as a melting pot for creators, affiliates, creative MSMEs, and policymakers. The event aims to become a new benchmark for collaboration between media and the creative industry while providing stronger intellectual property protection and broader market access for local innovations under the guidance of the Ministry of Creative Economy.