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)