Social media and changes on influence

By Dewantara Arief Rahman, student of Communication Studies at Gadjah Mada University

Discussion made during UI Communication Week 2011 or Pekan Komunikasi UI 2011 at UI Campus Depok discovered the vast access that social media has created for people as well as its impact on media practice. Presenting the theme You Are The Media. This year, this annual program presented speakers: Dian Noeh Abubakar (Senior Vice President of Weber Shandwick Indonesia), Roby Muhamad (Chairman of AkonLabs, Lecturer at Universitas Indonesia) and Enda Nasution (Indonesia senior famous blogger) in one of its sessions: Media Matters. The seminar discussed the changes brought by social media in daily life.

Dian Noeh Abubakar shared about the notion of flat society, where common people now can reach out and communicate directly with high profile figures, Twitter, for example, can create less distance – digitally - between us and high profile figures around the world.

Speaker Roby Muhamad shared about influence, that when “common” people follow high profile people, the high profile people actually also try to get feedback from their followers [the common people]. This is mutual influence taking place.

Speaker Dian Noeh Abubakar pointed out these likely effects on the way media writes their news. Recently, some media used tweet of Indonesia footballer Irfan Bachdim and put is as quote for their news reports. This was after Indonesia team lost against Malaysia in AFF tournament 2010. Hence this shows that source of news may now be added with statement or conversation in social media. Chief Editor of Anteve, Uni Lubis, once said that conversation in social media [online] can shape off line news report, but when media present it, journalists use journalism principles / research.

Speaker Enda Nasution shared example of the story about Coin of Prita, which started from community then rolled out into a massive movement. Sharing and solidarity has been the trigger to the massive movement which started from digital space and became big story with reports in conventional media.

While speakers Dian Noeh Abubakar and Enda Nasution see social media can create buzz and conventional media adds the validity aspect to the stories, I see the role of citizen journalism which can drive information, rapidly, in society. I recall when Ambarrukmo Plaza Yogyakarta was on fire several months ago, the first information came from twitter with hashtag #infojogja. People captured and uploaded information using their mobile devices then shared to twitter, which caused many people who follow  @infojogja knew that information only in minute after the accident. So that’s is our world now, everyone can share info. Because, You Are The Media.

Ends