Television still No. 1 media in Indonesia

Mr. Suryopratomo, Vice President of Metro TV talks about TV vs online media.

How has the growth been in the sector?

Indonesia is the latecomer to the online business. Metro TV’s competitors have been in existence at least since 1999. Metro TV must work faster to come up with a very good organizational system. The company must catch up to its competitors in the market. The company is working on many areas in our organization.

Is foreign media taking a part of the Indonesian market as well?

The company’s online revenue is only 10 percent compared to its revenue from television. That is why television is thought of as a bigger opportunity, and online develops slowly. For five years, we have been working to convince Metro TV’s principles that online is a future opportunity. To take something into the future, you must invest in it now. Our board of directors do not share this idea, which is why it is difficult to expand the company’s online presence. It is generally thought that the company is still safe with its revenue coming from television. Online is still subsidized from television. The current way of thinking for Metro TV is how to secure its revenue in television, and to make television bigger. That way of thinking leaves future opportunities behind.

Do you think other competitors are thinking the same thing?

Perhaps, because the online business presence in Indonesia is only around 10 percent. 90 percent is still subsidized.

When you have a big company, moving fast is not easy.

Yes, and that has been the topic of several meetings with the board of directors. In the next few years, Metro TV must change its business model, because the way people consume television programming has already changed. Indonesia currently does not have a regulation of how the media is organized. This is a challenge also for Metro TV. Once the people completely change the traditional way of watching television, the company will be left behind. Metro TV must begin to prepare for the changing of its business model. The new director for Metro TV’s business development is working on a way to accelerate and to develop the new business model.