New Indonesian English Daily Aims for Regional Recognition
By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
At a time when newspapers across the globe are falling on hard times, the Jakarta Globe, an Indonesian English-language daily launched in November 2008, is the latest major media venture in the Southeast Asian country.
The paper's chief editor, A. Lin Neumann, recently spoke with The Korea Times about the motivation behind its establishment and how it is coping with emerging challenges facing the market.
Launching a new English daily in a country where English is not an official language, especially against such unfavorable economic conditions under which even the most popular newspapers in the world are seeing shrinking profits, seems like an almost unthinkable move. However, Neumann explains that there is good logic behind it, particularly in light of long-term prospects and the increasing use of English among Indonesia's increasing middle class.
"The owners believe the newspaper market in Indonesia will grow in English, largely because the country is so large and the middle class is growing rapidly. More Indonesians are traveling and studying abroad and the long-term growth prospects are good," said Neumann.
"Our goal is to provide a world-class newspaper to our readers. The paper publishes daily 48 pages in full-color and so far the reaction is very positive. We think it is the best looking and reading paper in this market ― in any language."
The Globe's ambitions reach far beyond the domestic market. It seeks the regional recognition that some of the finest English dailies in Asia, such as the as The Straits Times of Singapore, The South China Morning Post of Hong Kong, The Statesmen of India, The Bangkok Post of Thailand have enjoyed over the years.
Like most papers worldwide, maintaining editorial freedom is a key priority for The Globe. "I am also heartened by the editorial independence we enjoy. Our owners believe in leaving us alone and they really want an independent newspaper. Of the three countries where I have edited English newspapers ― Hong Kong, South Korea and Indonesia ― this is by the far the most editorial freedom I have enjoyed. We are relatively free from the political and business constraints faced by the press in Korea because of the ownership structure of some of the big media companies," Neumann said.
By ``owners,'' Neumann is referring to the Lippo Group, a major Indonesian conglomerate founded by Indonesian business magnate Mochtar Raidy. The Globe has the backing of his son, James Raidy, deputy chairman of the group and a regional media mogul. Following the demise of former President Suharto in 1998, Indonesians have had freedom of the press and several new English papers tried to break into market, but with no real success, making The Globe's feat all the more daring.
The Globe targets the middle class, which is increasingly using English in the work place, at school and in everyday life. In turn, Indonesia's English proficiency is improving. "Among educated people in Jakarta, English is increasingly common. The language here, as in places like Korea and China, is growing rapidly as a medium of advancement and business," Neumann said.
The Indonesian newspaper market has virtually remained unchanged for the last 20 years or so, and some have contended that the market is not large enough for more than one English newspaper. The Globe faces fierce competition from its chief rival and the only other English paper in the nation, The Jakarta Post. As is the case in Korea, there are two major English dailies involved in tight competition with a handful of minor challengers.
Founded in 1983, The Post currently has a circulation of around 50,000 copies, while the Globe has a print run of 40,000, serving a readership that is 60-70 percent Indonesian, the rest being expatriates. A recent survey showed that total circulation for all the dailies in the entire country totals six million out of its total population of 240 million.
In order to stay competitive, it is essential for any paper to constantly enhance the quality of stories, features and op-eds, recruit a sizable pool of talented journalists, and of course, develop a highly informative and interactive Web site. And what is The Globe doing about all this?
"We have recruited about 60 top-flight Indonesian journalists, editors and designers and a strong pool of foreign editors. As a dual-language, dual culture newspaper, we have to receive the news in Indonesian, write it in English and edit it into top-quality prose. It's a big job and we training and working with our staff every day to get it right," said Neumann. Additionally, the paper's Web site, www.thejakartaglobe.com, is readily updated as "an interactive and modern site and the key to its future growth."
The 55-year-old American journalist, with more than 25 years of experience, has held senior posts with several news publications in Hong Kong and Korea before becoming the chief editor of The Globe in 2008. "It is important to remember that Indonesia is the fourth largest country in the world and has enormous potential in all areas. This makes the newspaper a good bet for the future," he said.