Commemorating the 13th Anniversary of the IWO, a Commitment to Maintaining Journalist Professionalism in the Digital Era
JAKARTA-JAYA NEWS.COM – The 13th anniversary of the Online Journalists Association (IWO) in 2025 carries the theme “IWO Maintaining Journalist Professionalism in the Digital Era.”
This theme was chosen for several important reasons related to the challenges and developments in the world of journalism today. IWO Chairman Dwi Christianto, S.H., M.Si., explained the reasons behind the choice of this theme.
“The rise of citizen journalism and misinformation in this digital era has resulted in everyone having a platform to disseminate information through social media. This poses a major challenge for the journalism profession, as the boundaries between professional journalists and ‘citizen journalists’ are becoming blurred. The rise of fake news (hoaxes) and disinformation makes the role of professional journalists who work according to journalistic principles crucial,” said IWO Chairman Dwi Christianto in a press release in Jakarta on Saturday, August 9, 2025.
According to him, with the emergence of many online media outlets, there are concerns about declining ethical standards and professionalism. Some say the journalism profession is now being “prostituted” because many media outlets are focused solely on specific interests, rather than the public interest.
“We believe there is a need to improve the capacity of journalists, so this theme emphasizes the importance of online journalists continuing to hone their skills, such as writing techniques, in-depth interviews, and mastery of technologies like SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Journalists are not only competing with other media outlets, but also with the speed of information circulating on social media,” he explained.
Furthermore, Dwi also believes that journalists must maintain integrity and public trust. Consequently, with maintained professionalism, journalists can present accurate, balanced, and responsible information.
This is crucial for rebuilding public trust in the media amidst a flood of unverified information.
“On August 4, 2025, the Head of Research and Development for the IWO Central Board, Muhammad Abriyanto, along with two fellow journalists, published a book entitled “Saving Reform, the Indonesian National Police Between the Presidential Decree and the 2001 Special Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly.” This demonstrates the continued refinement of his writing,” said Dwi.
“I, along with several journalists, once wrote a guidebook for covering patients with tuberculosis, an infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, during a training event for health journalists in Jakarta and West Java,” he said.
Dwi also explained that IWO Secretary General Telly Nathalia has also written several books, which have been published in various genres, including history, inspiration, and fiction.
As a professional journalists’ organization, IWO will continue to speak out for the truth and combat the false information and hoaxes currently prevalent in the country. Strengthening the organization, its cadres, and its membership, as well as becoming a constituent of the Press Council, are IWO’s immediate goals.
“IWO also strives to remind its members and all members of the press to uphold the Journalistic Code of Ethics and the principles of professionalism, so that online media can become a trusted source of information and educate the public,” concluded IWO Chairman Dwi Christianto.**
Wari
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