Yogyakarta- From time to time the media, starting from printed media, electronic media to internet and digital, has developed rapidly. It is inevitable that the media has influenced on changes in social, economy and security of a nation.
This was delivered by General Chairman of International Indonesian Scientists Association, Dr. Nasir Tamara, DEA, DESS, giving general lecture under the theme Media and Revolution: The Role of ICT, New Media and Social Media at UGM Graduate School, Tuesday (5/4).
“The real impact of the media on these changes is frequently found and we can see it both in Indonesia and overseas,” Nasir Tamara explained.
He exemplified the political and security change in the Middle East (Arabian region). Facebook social media is used to schedule demonstrations against the government in command at that time. Meanwhile, twitter is used as a coordinating tool while anti-government people use youtube to inform the public all over the world.
“It is proved effective. Moreover, we know that the cost is cheap, fast and everybody can access it,” said the author of a book, Iran Revolution.
Before emerging revolutionarily as demolisher of power, political, economic and security systems, the media was innitially born as provider of information service, communication and entertainment. Furthermore, it developed as instrument to have fun for friendship and marriage.
Further, there emerged the media that is eventually feared to criticize the government in power. On the other hand, media also has been used by those who will be involved in and succeed in political field.
“It is as if who controlled the media, also controlled everything, including politics,” Nasir who was once a journalist.
In Nasir’s view, Internet is key technology for freedom for its users. Everybody who does not use the Internet will lose out.
On the other hand, it is estimated that the use of new media with more flexibility and free facilities will even reduce the use of Internet networking through laptop and PC in the next years. People will be more free to be creative when they use hand phone (GPRS, 3G, HSDPA, 4G, etc), Blackberry, iPhone, PDA phone, Laptop, PC Tablet, Handheld, etc.
“Not to mention Google, Bing, Wikipedia, eBay, and Amazon as new media,” said Nasir who graduated from Sorbonne France.
Currently, Dr. Nasir Tamara is guest lecturer at UGM Graduate School while completing his new book about National Security Strategy and also about Yogyakarta. Previously, he was a Senior Research Fellow at Institute of Southeast Asia (ISEAS), Singapore and also National University of Singapore (NUS). He taught at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London and became Research Fellow in Harvard and Oxford University. UNDP inaugurated him as Senior Advisor for Human Development and MDG’s achievement.