REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Nasihin Masha, Chief Editor of Republika

Today, Republika newspaper celebrates 23th years of anniversary. Incidentally, first edition of Republika newspaper in 4th January 1993 and today's edition 4th January 2016 fell on Monday. It's a rare encounter: similar day, date, and month.

However, print media was in gloom. At the beginning of 2016 there was news about close of print media, such as Sinar Harapan and The Jakarta Globe, as well as Sunday edition of a newspaper. A senior journalist's writing in a newspaper at the end of last year also signaled the gloom of print media. The title was very pitiful: "Senja Kala Kami" ("Our Twilight Time").

The presence of online media, which was continuously strengthened by revolution in technology information, made print media was increasingly pushed away. Online media could be read anywhere and anytime. The information could be constantly updated, interactive, and able to reach a wider readership. And another important thing: it's free.

Is it true that it will turn off the print media? An academician from the United States (US), Philip Meyer, was predicted that newspapers in the US would expire in 2043. Moreover, in financial crisis in 2009 a number of mass media collapsed. It continues today.

Rupert Murdoch, a media businessman, once said that advantage in print media business was just like "a golden river flow". It was expressed when he was diligently expanding media business in the US and many other countries. However, a few years ago he said, "sometimes rivers dry up." His statement was reinforced by Warren Buffett, the US conglomerate. He said, if the cable TV and satellite TV as good as the Internet, newspapers would not exist anymore.

The presence of online media since 1990s in Indonesia, was marked by the birth of Republika Online as the first online media in 1995. However, some people were skeptical that print media would be completely extinct. We remember when television was present in 1950s. At that time, the public also began to predict the death of print media. But, in fact print media not only survives but also continues to grow.

Data of World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) showed that print media business was being declined in the US and Western Europe. But in Japan, India, China, Middle East, Latin America, and countries of Eastern Europe, newspapers were being increased. Of the 100 best-selling newspapers, 74 of them were from Asia. Complimentary newspapers increased by seven percent. Therefore, The Poynter Institute, a media consulting agency of the US, as said by Rick Edmonds, was too soon to state that print media would become extinct.

Data of States Press Company (SPS) also showed the growth of print media. Number of daily newspapers in 2014 grew by six percent over the previous year (from 394 newspapers into 417 newspapers). In terms of circulation, in the same period, also rose by two percent (from 9,582,794 copies to 9,761,470 copies).

The numbers were up and down every year, but still it had risen. For example, in 2011 there were 401 daily newspapers with a total circulation of 9,255,646 copies-especially in the New Order era.

As an illustration, in the New Order era, the newspaper was only in level of provincial capital. Now, newspaper has reached level of residency, even some special newspapers existed in district/city. Therefore, it was proper since, total number of newspapers and newspaper circulation continue to rise.

However, national newspapers were declined. National newspaper is a newspaper published in Jakarta but circulated in many areas in Indonesia- actually not really circulated throughout Indonesia.

Dahlan Iskan, Chairman of SPS, asserted, newspapers in Indonesia would not die yet. However, he admitted that newspapers were currently suffering. It was due to competition with other print media on the one hand, and on the other hand was also due to competition with online media.

Actually, the pressure also occurred in television media. Moreover, Indonesia was currently facing an economic slowdown or economic crisis. The fall of a number of print media was part of natural selection. Suffering that was being hit by a number of print media was part of a natural process, as a code to adapt. It was command for improving efficiency, product innovation, and organizational structure.

Radio has experienced a long period of pressure, but since 2000s it was resurrected again. We should learn from the radio. In fact, the public could access the songs on the internet freely, including on Youtube. Radio stations were increasingly segmented by combining elements of entertainment and information.

In Indonesia, in 2015, there were a number of print media which experienced resurgence. The media was characterized by the depth of its market. Such media were usually never afraid to open competition.

Admittedly, a number of national media were actually afraid to do open competition. They was pursuing a strategy of predatory pricing, which was selling newspapers under their cost of production. This, of course, would turn off small media. Small media would not be dare to sell its newspaper more expensive than national newspaper's price. In fact, in terms of advertising, small media would also face trouble. This was one of characteristics of unhealthy competition in business of print media in Indonesia. It was time for predatory pricing practice to be discontinued.

Since the beginning, the amount of circulation of print media in Indonesia was far below standard proportion of UNDP, which is 1:10. One newspaper for 10 residents. Meanwhile, Indonesia's total newspaper circulation was 9.5 million copies, compared with the number of Indonesian population of 240 million people. It means one newspaper for 25 residents.

With the presence of online media, a dream to reach the proportions of 1:10 has to be forgotten. Let the print media became premium media. Characteristic of print media that delayed the publication time by one day, is a distinct advantage of print media. The characteristic of online media, speed, makes online media do not have the time to do research, deepening, and sublimation substantive ideas. It was in the end would form a different reporter character.

On the other hand, online media character which always continues to make updates to the news, also makes online media flooded by the news. Within a day, an online media can supply up to 700 news. Meanwhile, print media even more reduced the number of pages. In 1990s, a single page could contain more than 10 news or 20 news. Now, per page presented only a maximum of five news.

With all of characters, print media is becoming a signature media. Newspapers would contain selected news, in depth news, news with a strong vision, and of course with a strong design. Design even has its own performance.

During smoke disaster last year, Republika newspaper covered its first page with smoke. It received tremendous appreciation from the readers. International media also made it as news. Most readers said, it was evidence that the newspaper has its own place. The smoky page was rewarded a trophy by National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and Aqua Award.

The smoky-page creation process was not instantaneous. It required contemplation of ideas. We were looking for a powerful image, a child who was cycling in the middle of smoke. Also there was a picture of President Jokowi leading a limited cabinet meeting about the smoke. And a short sentence, placed at the bottom of the page: When covered with smoke, all the news becomes difficult to read. All of them into one unified idea.

One of first page of Republika Newspaper in 2015 also received appreciation from readers. It was when Republika applied technique of wood cutting or woodcuts. This technique was uncommon in newspaper, but Republika utilized this technique to mark one-year rule of President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

2015 has became a sweet year for Republika Newspaper. Many journalism awards were achieved, such as Adinegoro, MH Thamrin, IPMA, IYRA, Aqua, and Bahasa Indonesia. Of course this was a pride and form of our dedication to the readers. We strived to present the best.

Walter Isaacson in his book, The Innovators, said, "True creativity in the digital era is triggered by people who are able to link art with science." It was not a right time to sad. Happy anniversary Republika, thanks to the loyalty of the readers of Republika.

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