Artificial Intelligence in Indonesia's Digital Journalism Ecosystem: Analysis of the Circuit of Culture at IDN Times

Tri Suharman, Rizki Briandana, Afdal Makkuraga Putra

Abstract


This study analyzes how artificial intelligence (AI) is integrated into the digital journalism ecosystem in Indonesia through a case study of the media outlet IDN Times. It offers a fresh perspective by moving beyond the common view of AI as a technological threat to journalistic practice; instead, it explores how postmodern values are implemented within a media organization born in the digital era one that integrates AI as a core component of its organizational identity and culture. Employing a single qualitative case study approach, the research utilizes the "Circuit of Culture" framework to analyze five interconnected stages: identity, production, representation, consumption, and regulation. Data collection involved in-depth interviews with various stakeholders including editorial management, field reporters, AI experts, and Generation Z readers complemented by an analysis of AI-generated features. The findings reveal a dynamic cultural negotiation within this ecosystem, where the organization's identity as a "Tech-Media" entity directly drives the creation of a hybrid production architecture. To meet readers’ demand for pragmatic information consumption, the system deliberately presents simplified news representations. The results indicate that while readers appreciate this efficiency as a service feature, they still insist on the credibility of human-led journalism. Consequently, the editorial team works to mitigate algorithmic bias and the erosion of journalistic skills through internal control mechanisms, specifically Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that enforce editorial veto power. The study concludes that the interaction of these five stages forms a model demonstrating that digital newsrooms can balance technological efficiency with rigorous editorial control to uphold the integrity of human journalism.


Keywords


Artificial Intelligence (AI), Circuit of Culture, IDN Times, Digital Journalism, Hybrid Journalism

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30813/bricolage.v12i2.9830

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