Media exhibition closes
Media exhibition closes
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
While Amin's boss was visiting a craft exhibition, the 34-year-
old driver decided to spend his downtime at the Indonesian Press
Expo next door at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan.
"Other drivers might waste time playing cards, but I always
read newspapers while waiting for my boss," explaining Amin of
his reason for visiting the expo.
Amin was one of an estimated 20,000 people attending the
three-day expo, which aimed at promoting opportunities in the
print media and providing updates on the latest developments in
the industry.
The expo, which ended on Sunday, featured 172 local and
national media, encompassing print publications, such as
newspapers, tabloids and magazines, and broadcast entities, such
as radio and television stations.
"There were some initial doubts on whether or not people would
take an interest in the media industry," said the event's press
officer, Saint Chyrill. "However, the large turnout shows that
the public really supports the press."
The World Bank estimated that newspaper sales in the country
for the 2000-2001 period were around five million copies daily,
only a quarter of the ideal circulation of around 20 million.
According to UNESCO, the ideal circulation of newspapers in a
country should reach at least 10 percent of its population.
Last year, total circulation for newspapers grew by 6.5
percent in Indonesia, compared to global growth of 2.1 percent,
according to the World Association of Newspapers.
By revenue, Nielsen Media Research shows that advertising
incomes grew 21.6 percent to Rp 20.4 trillion last year, of which
Rp 14.2 trillion went to the television industry.
As such, the Newspaper Publishers Union (SPS) views television
as the major hindrance to increasing print circulation numbers.
However, Amin, the driver, did not share quite the same view
as SPS.
"I can read a newspaper anytime," said Amin, toting a bagful
of free publications he collected at the expo. "Especially when
TV ads are screened." (002)