Indonesian journalists met with Minot media

The Minot Area Council for International Visitors hosted three Indonesian journalists in Minot, and they visited Minot State University on July 28. The journalists were Nenden Novianti Fathiastuti, a reporter for the official Web site of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Nurul Hidayati, executive editor for Detik.com, and Agustinus Wisnubrata, head of the multimedia desk for the Kompas Cyber Media.

They met with a panel of area news people to discuss how the Internet is used in media markets of this size and also, what challenges and strengths the media is faced with. Individuals on the panel were Tom Ross, KMOT; Shaun Sipma, KXMC; Marvin Baker, Minot Daily News; and Dave Lehner, Clear Channel Radio.

The Indonesians also visited news agencies in Orlando, Fla., and Indianapolis, Ind. and will be heading next to Washington, D.C. The three said they chose to come to Minot because they wanted to see how the Internet is used by news agencies in rural communities.

Wisnubrata said he has found that it is difficult for older reporters in his country to adapt to their changing occupation. Often, two reporters end up covering a story because one reporter does not know how to upload a story to the Internet or take audio or video clips at the scene. Hidayati said her Web site hires younger journalists fresh out of college who are more likely to be familiar with the new technologies. Fathiastuti said she was surprised by the number of North Dakota farmers who make use of the Internet to help them run their farms. Indonesian farmers are less likely to do this, she said. Only about 20 percent of Indonesians have Internet access, and they are mainly individuals living in large cities, getting Internet access at work or in cyber cafes.

The visitors were invited to the United States under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Their program is arranged by World Learning Visitor Exchange Program (formerly Delphi International).