SWA partners kumparan in battle against fake business news in Indonesia

By Digital News Asia May 23, 2017

Will provide credible, high-quality business insights from SWA, curated and showcased by kumparan
kumparan invites other online media to utilise their platform as an extra channel for trusted content

SWA partners kumparan in battle against fake business news in Indonesia

THE swift acceleration of online media in Indonesia in recent years has not only allowed information to travel faster, but has also given way to digital consumers seeking out credible information to share.

One outcome stemming from this is the new need for a trustworthy and all-encompassing media platform in Indonesia, one that bridges traditional media with social networking.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in late December 2016 warned that the nation has almost 800,000 websites disseminating fake news and egregiously false information.

Such content is then multiplied by sharing via social media accounts. As the problem progresses in the world’s largest archipelago, local media consumers are now looking for media they can trust.

To combat unreliable information on the web, a trusted name in business media SWA aims to arm and inform the country’s business executives.

“Our main product is knowledge rather than media, as our main goal is to empower professionals, especially youngsters in the business. Meanwhile, media, along with other mediums like workshops and events, are a place to share the insights and to connect with our target market,” explained SWA group chief editor Kemal Gani.

In recent years, SWA has been reaching a wider audience via the internet. Recently, the company announced a partnership with kumparan, a newly established online hybrid media platform that combines traditional news feeds with social media functionalities.

The partnership allows SWAOnline to be published on kumparan’s platform with an official account in an effort to expand its digital readership in Indonesia.

The partnership benefits both parties, as kumparan and SWA have pledged to only disseminate high-quality, credible content. The overarching idea is that SWAOnline can now be amplified and take centre stage over websites that are politically-driven hoaxes or distribute otherwise inconsequential stories.

kumparan CEO Hugo Diba said, “Aside from the rise of the internet and social media users, nothing has really changed in the media industry for the past 18 years. As media, we have our own responsibility to be more than just a business entity. We also have to be the force that pushes this nation forward with trustworthy information. This is how our partnership with SWA works.”

This marks kumparan’s first move in establishing partnerships with other media in Indonesia. Staying true to its mission, kumparan wants to redefine the online media landscape by creating a platform where anyone can truly become a news creator.

The presence of SWAOnline in kumparan enriches the platform with high-quality business content from trusted sources.

Readers can now follow SWAOnline’s official account to learn more about creative industries and relevant business insights.

Readers can also discover original news content made by over 100 public figures that have joined the platform such as former Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said, ICT Minister Rudiantara, and ex-chief deputy of the Corruption Eradication Commission Bambang Widjojanto.

“How my generation and millennials handle media is different,” said Gani. “With this collaboration, we are able to deliver high-quality business knowledge to a younger audience in a way that speaks to them.”

To help achieve this, kumparan is equipped with a content moderation feature that filters each story and makes sure the content is well-suited for top executives, startup founders, and government officials. “We keep all the business information under one topic for people to follow,” said Diba.

He added, “Our business model also supports content monetization. This opens up the door of opportunity for SWA and advertisers in terms of reaching the right target markets. We will also explore all the possibilities in delivering content to make sure the goal is attained for both parties.”

According to Statista, Indonesia’s digital ad market surpassed US$1 billion in 2016. A partnership such as this will help kumparan and SWA attract more advertisers who are seeking high-quality business readers in the archipelago.

Beta launched in January, kumparan has gained popularity among Indonesian media consumers. The platform dishes out hundreds of pieces of content daily, and is backed by top media executives and internet pioneers such Budiono Darsono, Abdul Rahman, Calvin Lukmantara, Hugo Diba, Arifin Asydhad, Ine Yordenaya, Heru Tjatur, and Yusuf Arifin.