Local Media Managers in Central Java Formulate a New Roadmap in the Era of Digital Disrution

SEMARANG – Hundreds of local media managers from across Central Java gathered at the Khas Hotel Semarang on Thursday (May 21, 2026) for the Jateng Media Summit 2026.

With the overarching theme "New Roadmap for Central Java Local Media," this forum served as a crucial consolidation platform for the regional press industry to respond to the rapidly changing digital media landscape and the challenges of technological disruption.

This event culminated a series of activities, following the opening with Technical Guidance on local government website management on the first day.

Nur Kholis, Chairman of the JMS 2026 Committee and CEO of Beritajateng.tv, reported that more than 100 participants attended, hailing from Semarang, Kudus, Solo, Banyumas, and the Pantura region.

Strikingly, approximately 30 percent of the participants were managers of "homeless media," new media entities operating agilely in the digital realm.

Suwarjono, the event's initiator, CEO of PT Arkadia Digital Media Tbk and Editor-in-Chief of Suara.com, emphasized the urgency of this meeting. He stated that the conventional media business model has completely changed and requires immediate action.

"If we don't anticipate this now, we need to discuss the New Roadmap for Central Java Local Media. If we don't immediately implement new methods, or new models, we could be lost," Suwarjono asserted.

He envisioned a future for media where content will be automatically presented to audiences from the moment they wake up until they go to bed, requiring local media to be open and adapt quickly.

Full support came from the Central Java Provincial Government. Iwanuddin Iskandar, Assistant for Governance and Public Welfare at the Central Java Provincial Government, expressed his deep appreciation for the forum. He emphasized the Provincial Government's commitment to collaborating with all media outlets.

"We are ready to collaborate with all media outlets. If there is information that district/city heads cannot collaborate with the media, please report it to us," Iwanuddin said.

He also highlighted the significant challenges in countering hoaxes, especially those produced using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, such as deepfake videos and voices.

"Therefore, the use of AI also requires ethics and the provision of accurate information and facts on the ground," he added.

Similarly, the Deputy Speaker of the Central Java Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD), Sarif Abdillah, reminded the media of its vital role as a pillar of democracy that must be safeguarded together. He emphasized the importance of a good narrative to prevent the decline of civilization.

"A civilization without a good narrative will experience a decline in understanding, a decline in ideology, a decline in vision, and the loss of civilization itself. Hopefully, this will be our first step forward," said Sarif.

He also encouraged the younger generation to bravely face the economic and educational challenges of the current era.