What is "Homeless Media" that Went Viral Following the Embrace by Indonesia's Bakom?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Homeless media is currently a hot topic following a statement from the Head of the Indonesian Government Communication Agency (Bakom), Muhammad Qodari.

Qodari revealed that Bakom is now partnering with homeless media entities grouped under the New Media Forum.

“The New Media Forum is a collaboration among several new media players. Previously known as homeless media, these friends are striving to transform into new media,” Qodari said during a press conference at Bakom’s office in Jakarta on Wednesday (6/5/2026).

The outlets include Folix, Ngomongin Uang, Big Alpha, Good States, Hai Dulu, Proud Project, Vebis, Unframe, Kumpul Leaders, CXO Media, Volix Media, How To Do Nothing, Everless Media, Geometry Media, Folks Diary, Dream, Melodi Alam, NKTSHI, Modestalk, Lead Media, Nalar TV, Mahasiswa dan Jakarta, North West, and Mature Indonesia.

According to Qodari, collaborating with these media outlets is essential for Bakom to reach the public as widely as possible.

“So, if we distance ourselves, it becomes hard for us to communicate. Right? First, we build connections like that. Through these connections, points of input and suggestions can be conveyed effectively,” Qodari stated.

So, what is homeless media?

The term homeless media was first introduced by Eddward Samadyo Kennedy in 2017.

Homeless media describes media that operates without an official website and relies more on social media platforms as the primary means of content distribution.

Quoting ANTARA on 9 February 2026, homeless media refers to the practice of producing and distributing information that fully relies on social media without support from established press institutions.

The speed aspect is achieved because content production is done informally with minimal verification stages.

This condition allows uploads to be published faster compared to the editorial mechanisms of conventional press media.