Indonesia

May 72012

Citizen Journalism Advances Democratic Citizenship in Rural Indonesia

by Harry Surjadi

On 25 November 2011, Adrianus Akid, an indigenous farmer in a rural Indonesian village, sent a text about a damaged bridge to RuaiSMS. RuaiSMS is a mobile news service that turns cell phones into a new communication channel for indigenous people in West Kalimantan, including Sungai Enau, about 12 miles from Pontianak, the capital city of Indonesia’s West Kalimantan Province.

Apr 112012

Frontline SMS: How Lives Are Changing in Rural Indonesia, 160 Characters at a Time

When Knight International Journalism Fellow Harry Surjadi launched his mobile news network in rural Indonesia, it relied on Frontline SMS technology to work -- allowing citizens to text news reports that are sent to journalists, activists and others, and are aired on Ruai TV.

The project has been so successful -- empowering indigenous people to make their voices heard -- that Frontline SMS is profiling the project as an example of how journalists can use the software as an innovative

Program: 
Indonesia: Launch a Mobile Environmental News Service for Rural Communities
Feb 282012

Text-and-Mobile News Network Opens Coverage of Rural Indonesia

by Maria Young

In a rural corner of Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, indigenous people can now send out the important news in their communities, thanks to a groundbreaking cell phone-based network officially launched this month by Knight International Journalism Fellow Harry Surjadi.

The new service – which opens up a part of the country previously cut off from news coverage – had its public debut at a press conference on February 15 in the provincial capital of Pontianak.

Program: 
Indonesia: Launch a Mobile Environmental News Service for Rural Communities

Harry Launch - Learning Video

Participants in a workshop following the Citizen Journalism: Empowering Communities launch practice using a video camera. (Photo by Heriyanto)

Harry Launch - Cell Phone Demos

At a workshop following the launch, Panca Esti, left, from Ruai TV, shows two participants from local non-governmental organizations how to use a small video camera. (Photo by Heriyanto)

Harry Launch - Demos

Local officials from parliamentary and other government offices learn how citizen journalists can shoot video to include with their reports. (Photo by Heriyanto)

Harry Launch - Harry being interviewed

Local journalists interview Knight Fellow Harry Surjadi about citizen journalism at the launch of the text-and-mobile news service. (Photo by Heriyanto)

Harry Launch - CJ at podium

Citizen journalist Adrianus Adam Tekot says that the new service is already having impact: At least one land dispute has been resolved. (Photo by Heriyanto)

Harry Launch - Harry at Podium

Knight International Journalism Fellow Harry Surjadi introduces the innovative text-and-mobile news service at the Citizen Journalism: Empowering Communities launch. (Photo by Heriyanto)