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Indonesia: Interviews
Throughout our research on the social media scene in Indonesia, we managed to get some Indonesians to share their story and views on the social media scene and its tools.
On this page you will found:
- Interview with Sutayasa, personal blogger and microblogger
- Interview with Edbert Swidoyono, social microblogger
- Interview with Devi Girsang, passionate blogger
A. Interview with Sutayasa
Sutayasa, born in Indonesia, now resides in Singapore to pursue a Bachelor degree in Information Systems Management. Having a non-stop interest in the technology world, he can be actively seen Tweet-ing about his personal life. He also owns a blog where he’ll Never Walk Alone and truth be told, with visitors from all over the world he will never be. From his blog, we can view his personal insights about interesting events happening in Indonesia, technology news and his personal archive.
Here is a short interview we have done with him:
1. What are the motivations that drive you to setup a blog and a microblog?
I feel the need to connect with my friends from my current school and previous schools, colleagues, and even with my family! And what other thing makes it easier and cheaper to connect with them than blog or Twitter or Facebook, right? These tools make it easier for my family and friends located in other countries to know how I’m doing, and most of the times, it’s free. Also, occasionally when certain events are happening in Indonesia, such as the past bombs happening a few months ago, I feel the need to share my feelings to the world and to encourage some actions to be taken by my blog’s readers.
2. What makes you more enthusiastic in using microblog tools such as Twitter than blogging itself? Is there any advantage of microblog over blog to you personally?
There are certain benefits that you get for using microblog such as Twitter or even just a Facebook status update. First, you don’t feel the need to write for long sentences just to say what you’re currently doing or what recently happened in your life. When I’m writing a blog post, to me it feels that there is a constant need to keep it longer and more meaningful than when I’m writing for my Twitter. Also, it is much easier and faster to update my current status in Twitter and Facebook; several clicks and typing and I’m done. And my friends can see the update faster as well as it will appear in their Tweet Deck or Facebook home.
3. What do you think is the most popular social media tool in Indonesia?
For now, I think the most popular tool is Facebook and Twitter. Though Friendster is still very popular there that it even has an Indonesian version called Temanster (editor’s note: ‘teman’ is friend in Bahasa Indonesia) and more people are using Plurk as well. But in my opinion, Facebook is still the most popular especially since more people are using their mobile phones to update Facebook status.
4. We understand there is sort of a ‘BlackBerry’ phenomenon in Indonesia. Why do you think such thing happened and why BlackBerry, not iPhone or any other smart phones or PDAs?
Oh judging from the price alone, you will be able to see why people in Indonesia prefer to use their mobile phones to browse the web. From what I know, currently it costs only Rp. 5,000 per day (note: equal to approx. 0.74 SGD) to enjoy unlimited internet access and facilities usage in your BlackBerry. That is totally cheap!! I mean, even if you go to internet cafe, the fee is usually ranging from Rp. 2,000 to 5,000 per hour (note: equal to approx. 0.29 SGD to 0.74 SGD). With the mobile internet plan, you can enjoy it 24 hours a day with Rp. 5,000. And they even have the service to easily turn it off on particular day you’re going for holiday or just don’t want to access the internet.
As for why BlackBerry not other mobile phones, I’m not really sure of the answer myself. Perhaps BlackBerry being available first in the country before iPhone 3G has something to do with it.
5. Do you think that social media and civil journalism will replace the roles of traditional media as the mainstream in Indonesia? And, why do you think so?
My answer is definitely not so soon and maybe still not happening in 5 or 10 years from now. Indonesia is a very big country with lots of people (more than 200 million) and judging from the economic conditions of, in my estimation, more than 50% citizens that are still ranging from below moderate to extremely poor wealth with no access to even TV, social media journalism is so not taking over the traditional media as the mainstream. I mean, many people just can’t afford it, and I’m guessing, sadly, this will still be the true condition in the next 5 years or so.
His blog's visitors are from all over the world!
Taken from Sutayasa's personal blog at 12 October 2009
B. Interview with Edbert
Edbert is a fan on social media and its tools. His main inspiration or purpose for using it though ties purely to social reasons and to keep up with what his friends around globe are doing. Stated below is the questions that was posted to him, and he recorded his reply via a podcast (download here) that can be heard below.
Questions for Edbert:
- How would you describe the current social media scene and web 2.0 in Indonesia? In terms of its usage and influence.
- Are you a user of any of these social media tools? If so, which tools and why do you use them? If not, why not?
- What the most common tools used by Indonesians?
- What do most bloggers in Indonesia blog about?
- Being an Indonesian in Singapore, can you compare the social scene here as compared to your peers back home? What are the major differences?
- Do you think that social media will eventually change the way Indonesians communicate with themselves? Do you think it will take over traditional face-to-face communication or enhance it?
- I understand that only a significant minority in Indonesia have access to the web and social media. Do you think this percentage will change in the years to come?
- Also, given this small percentage, will it hamper the progress of social media in Indonesia?
- Can you share any insights, if Indonesian firms have taken a keen interest on Enterprise 2.0? If yes, or no, why do you think is the case.
- Which industries or firms do you think are more likely to get on board with using social media as part of their business plans?
C. Interview with Devi
Devi Girsang is an Indonesian student in Medical School who utterly loves the digital world. She has been blogging for more than 3 years and is very passionate about her life; she blogs about anything and everything under the sun ranging from her personal life all the way to current affairs. She also features several contests on her blog for her readers.
Here we conducted an e-mail interview for her to share her insights on social media:
1. How would you describe the current social media scene and web 2.0 in Indonesia? (In terms of its usage and influence)
I believe Indonesian people are pretty much the same like those in any other country. More and more people, like it or not, get to realize the commercial values of digital media such as blogs, social networks, online news, etc. As for bloggers in Indonesia, it was roughly estimated 8 million bloggers have existed back in 2008.
2. Are you a user of any of these social media tools? If so, which tools and why do you use them? If not, why not?
Indeed I am. I have accounts on Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, Blogcatalog, Mybloglog and some other platforms to promote my blog. On being a blogger:Initally I just wanted to write about my personal life but as time goes by, I've been getting a lot of feedbacks from my growing readers. Some of them told me how insightful my posts are to them. So my objectives have changed ever since. I'm morally obliged to write not just random things but at least useful one. On being a Facebook user:Well, everybody does. I'm not one of the heavy users though.On signing up at Twitter:Sometimes when I was too lazy to update my blog, microblogging is a good alternative for my craving-for-updates loyal readers, LOL.
3. What do most bloggers in Indonesia blog about?
Lots of things I think. It varies from their personal life, current issues both national and int'l, movie reviews to fashion stuffs and many more.
4. I understand there is a sort of a ‘BlackBerry’ phenomenon is Indonesia? Why is this so, and why BlackBerry of all developers?
I'm not sure if I can provide you the correct answer. Indonesian people love following the trends I guess. We basically love anything American offers, LOLz. Why BlackBerry? Perhaps it's because the people getting bored with Nokia and iPhone took a late start. Carrying a BlackBerry around probably makes someone feeling more prestige even if s/he only using it for updating Facebook status :P Only God knows.
5.Which industries or firms do you think are more likely to get on board with using social media as part of their business plans?
That will be fashion and beauty traders. Some of my friends sell their handmade accessories line through Facebook and Multiply, and doing well so far.
6. What prompted you to start using smart phones like the BlackBerry? How often do you use it for social media?
Well since I've been utilizing emails a lot on regular basis, either to correspondence or getting latest medical journal updates, I've found that the Blackberry comes handy :D
Read more about Social Media in Indonesia:
shanvito.chandra |
Latest page update: made by shanvito.chandra
, Nov 2 2009, 9:58 PM EST
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Interview with Edbert.mp3 (MPEG Audio - 1,412k)
posted by sgsam2k Oct 13 2009, 11:15 AM EDT
Interview with Edbert Swidoyono
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