By Axel Samuel Gianaldy (Communication Science student of UBM Serpong Batch 2021) – The Communication Science Study Program organized an international webinar titled “Digital Society and Communication Power in Indonesia” as part of the UBM Studium Generale Series 011 on Friday, February 24th at 10:00 AM WIB, attended by approximately 380 participants through a virtual Zoom meeting.
The event, which was specifically designed for students taking the IKF23 Mass Communication Sociology (2nd semester) and IKB08 Communication Ethics and Philosophy (4th semester) courses, was hosted by Anastasia Lin Witarsa as the MC and Virgitta Septyana, S.I.Kom., M.Si. as the moderator.
The activity, which was attended by students of Communication Science in the 2nd and 4th semester, featured a researcher at the ANU’s College Of Asia and the Pacific specializing in media and culture in Island Southeast Asia, named Dr. Ross Tapsell.
Dr. Ross Tapsell presented on the topic of communication in the digital media era. He stated that media is a message, we shape tools and then the tools shape us. Digitalization centralizes power and is an oligarchic tool. Digital media is an extension of the pro-democratic power that allows society to be more participatory and able to fight against elite rulers. Technology changes our thinking about politics, so media is digital and the message is polarization.
After the presentation, a Q&A session followed. One participant named Kevit asked, “What makes you interested in media in Indonesia? What is it that interests you to initiate research on media in Indonesia?” Dr. Ross answered that after completing his bachelor’s degree, he became a journalist in Australia. When he got a job in Lombok, he loved reading books and reading media studies, and finally became interested in media in Indonesia.
After the Q&A session, a Token of Appreciation was presented by Virgitta Septyana to Dr. Ross Tapsell as a form of gratitude for taking the time to share his knowledge with the students of Universitas Bunda Mulia.