Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s media industry would "never die" in this digital era as long as journalists and employees remain professional, qualified, and competent, Communication and Informatics Minister Rudiantara said.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 2019 National Press Day`s exhibition here on Thursday, Feb 7, Rudiantara stated he believed that the media workers` awareness of the importance of upgrading skills and holding professional ethics would help them survive.

Hence, digitalization is just a way of disseminating the media`s contents. In the past, news contents were disseminated using papers, he remarked, adding that the impact of fast-growing technology in this digital era is quite extraordinary.

At present, those wanting to listen to the radio need not have portable radios. Instead, they could do that from their smartphones, and channels of domestic and international radio stations are available in the phones, he explained.

Rudiantara further underlined the importance of preserving the code of ethics of the Indonesian journalists by serving their readers and audience with credible news contents and avoiding the proliferation of hoaxes.

"I believe that our media industry will not collapse if they are able to serve credible news contents," he added.

In connection with the peak of the National Press Day`s commemorative event, due to be held on Feb 9, the organizing committee reported that 20 ambassadors of friendly countries had confirmed their presence.

"We have sent official invitation letters to 23 ambassadors. However, 20 ambassadors will come while three others will send their representatives to our commemorative event," Bob Iskandar, one of the organizing committee members, told Antara.

Among these VIP guests are the ambassadors of the United States of America, Russia, Japan, Egypt, Armenia, Pakistan, and Morocco, noted Iskandar, who is in charge of welcoming the foreign envoys at the National Press Day event.

Several ambassadors had arrived here on Thursday morning, while several others would have arrived on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, he stated, adding that the peak of the 2019 National Press Day would be attended by incumbent President Joko Widodo.

During their stays in Surabaya, the ambassadors attended an investment forum at Majapahit Hotel. The event was officially opened by East Java Governor Soekarwo on Thursday.

"The investment forum is expected to give insightful information on investment opportunities in East Java," Iskandar, who is also director of the Confederation of ASEAN Journalists (CAJ) and member of the Indonesian Journalists Association`s (PWI) central executive board, revealed.


Reporting by Fiqih Arfani, Abdul Hakim
Editing by Rahmad Nasution

Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azizah Fitriyanti
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