Keeping up with the news in Indonesia

Hi Priscilla,

First and foremost, I read Sky News and BBC UK & World News on my mobile phone. I also monitor currency exchange rates and trends on my mobile phone.

On TV, I will usually watch Fox News, CNN and Euronews at least once during the day, although Fox News is so biased it seems more like entertainment than news.

Then, I will occasionally read the Jakarta Post or the Jakarta Globe online.

As far as TV shows are concerned, any of the HD movie channels from 401 to 413 might have a nice movie. I like to watch the Japanese channel Waku Waku and also History and Nat Geo channels.

My kids only want to watch Nickelodeon Junior and the occasional movie.

Regards,
Hanssen

I read BBC, Sky News, Google News, Jakarta Coconuts, The Jakarta Post, Tempo in English, The Jakarta Globe all online.
Twitter for me is the best source of news from everywhere and I mainly use for the Independent / NY Post / BBC sport and a few other sources .
At work my open tabs include Facebook and Twitter and Sky news. I find Sky News headlines more useful but the BBC has better in depth coverage.

I don't really watch TV news as I think that is enough. I will live stream news on Youtube if it important enough for me, otherwise my YouTube history is all full of Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig and the curious watching habits of a 3 year old.

As for media, I have Indovision and after Nickelodeon Jr, Cbeebies, Disney Playhouse comes Fox Crime, Fox and Axn. Then if I am lucky HBO movie and Fox movies. I also watch TransTV and Global.

Had I actually had accessed to Broadband Internet, I would probably not use a TV for anything other than Chrome Cast.

I don't do newspapers or really listen to the radio as I don't have time.

English language TV / Radio

All of the satellite and cable broadcasters transmit English language TV.
The cheapest packages start from less thsn Rp1000,000/month with nextmedia (Satellite).
Of course, you have to pay a lot more for films and sports channels but the film channels are exactly the same as in England - more repeats than fresh programmes.
You may also use one of the many streaming sites available.
As with all such sites, be very careful about the links - they're commonly full of malware.

http://www.mylifetime.com/#http://www.couchtuner.eu/

Another came to my attention a short time ago, and I'm assured it's a 100% legal way of watching UK TV from Indonesia (and many other countries). No need to hide IP addresses, no subscriptions and none of the other messing around you usually have to do. Dr Who awaits me using their service.

http://www.youk.tv/

This radio service is very nice. This link is the UK's BBC radio 4, but you'll see a menu at the top of the page.

http://tunein.com/radio/BBC-Radio-4-935-s25419/

English language newspapers on the internet

I'm a bit of a news freak, enjoying reading a lot of sites every day. I like to keep up with Indonesian local news, more so the longer I stay here.
My local favourites are:

http://en.tempo.co/http://www.thejakartapost.com/http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/

lukereg wrote:

Jakarta Coconuts,.

I've never read that one but my first look was a positive experience.

http://jakarta.coconuts.co/tags/news

Thanks

Jakarta Coconuts and the other cities and countries it has coverage is far more interesting and informative and upbeat than the other English Indonesian English Papers. The Rappler is OK at times if in English and Tempo.EN is also pretty good if you dont mind the direct translation and late news. Sometimes it is rather good.

I read other local news from time to time, but the following are either updated too infrequently or I'm not quite as keen on the style.
Others might well like them so they're worth a mention, and they sometimes carry stories others don't have.

http://www.dailyindonesia.com/http://www.antaranews.com/en/http://www.breakingnews.com/topic/indonesia/

It's probably worth a mention there are a couple of what I would consider to be really bad news outlets, some sadly claiming to be expat related.
One comes to mind as it's very pro drugs and very anti Indonesia to the point they slant news stories to fit their agenda and simply make up 'news' that suits them.
They also print pure fiction from time to time, stuff that is vomited from the mouths of liars, but they still print it as news.

I am quite new in this country, and I watched Indo tv channels occasionally , I found out it's not intresting, they totally focus on very small minor issues which happens locally.
On the other hand I don't like to watch western media like cnn, fox, bbc etc. it has lots of propaganda and I don't trust the way they feed the news in order to support certain opinion.
So I almost not watching any news, and I am happy ,,!,

Hmmm, I'm somewhat surprised that nobody has mentioned Al Jazeera out of Doha.

I find them to be excellent and still adhering to sound journalistic principles.  I would say the same regarding NPR (National Public Radio), also yet to be mentioned here.  And also, Reuters…again, not mentioned here.   

If one wants endless commentary or opinion being sold as journalism, the sources are endless.

I used to watch it but I dont think I have access to it now but I will look at its news site on line tomorrow and see.

Ubudian wrote:

Hmmm, I'm somewhat surprised that nobody has mentioned Al Jazeera out of Doha.

I find them to be excellent and still adhering to sound journalistic principles.  I would say the same regarding NPR (National Public Radio), also yet to be mentioned here.  And also, Reuters…again, not mentioned here.   

If one wants endless commentary or opinion being sold as journalism, the sources are endless.

The last is about as true as it gets.
I like Al Jazeera, but they tend to get a bit bogged down sometimes.
Reuters is quality, but they are a little limited as to the number of stories they publish.
http://www.reuters.com/places/indonesia

I glance at this one every morning as well.
http://www.breakingnews.com/topic/indonesia/

"I like Al Jazeera, but they tend to get a bit bogged down sometimes."

Or, one could take the view that they are in-depth. 

"Reuters is quality, but they are a little limited as to the number of stories they publish."

Well, real journalists and their editors tend to vet what is a story worth reporting versus a story to fill space, viz, columns in a newspaper or air time.

Reuters is raw, and immediate, I'll grant you that.

For most of my life I actually didn't follow the news at all. From my early twenties until probably my early fifties I considered politics and religion to be two of the biggest distractions to enjoying life. In fact, I'd decided early on that those two topics which make up much of the news were just wasting time. Even today, I consider watching the news as "time-wasting" when I could be out doing something more interesting.

Of course many people will disagree for all kinds of reasons, but the way I see it is why would I want to sit on the sofa in front of the TV or my computer watching or reading the news when I could be out taking pictures, playing music or having fun with my kids or doing something constructive?

People might say that the news is important because you can learn about things that affect your life. But I have always thought that whatever happens happens. Just get on with your life and adapt. I also think that reading news can be addictive or let's say too habitual, and can make you into a kind of couch potato and take away your ability to interact with people nicely. Get back into the real world.

But more recently the things I do occasionally watch are the entertainment of the American elections and Brexit and it's aftermath. And if ever I am ever in the position of waiting for someone, I will probably read the news on my mobile phone to help pass the time and that is what keeps me informed.

We've got one life and we are all getting older. I say make the most of life, don't waste too much time on keeping up with the news. It's not natural and it's using up the time you have left.

"For most of my life I actually didn't follow the news at all. From my early twenties until probably my early fifties I considered politics and religion to be two of the biggest distractions to enjoying life."

Hmmm, so in your view, news is only about politics or religion?  Clearly, that's what you're inferring. 

"People might say that the news is important because you can learn about things that affect your life. But I have always thought that whatever happens happens. Just get on with your life and adapt."

That is exactly the mind set that any Totalitarian form of government would want you to have.

Thankfully the view of news here among the Indonesians I know is considerably different.

"I say make the most of life, don't waste too much time on keeping up with the news."

As a father of three sons, I think it's vital to not only keep up with the news, but to help my lads understand the impact of the world around them.

But hey...that's just me.

The internet seems to be the major news source for most expats here, but others are available.

As with the net, TV, radio and the papers vary wildly in quality and accuracy, but there are differences from the UK press.
TV is pretty much the same as the UK but there are more channels available, many with good news programs (including in English). I like TV one's programs, but there are several other good ones (when I get the chance to watch them).

I rarely listen to radio so I can't comment.

Newspapers tend to be reasonably factual and are generally better than the lousy rags in the UK, but I rarely buy one any more as they all have an internet edition.

The internet news services are very likely to destroy the printed market completely, and are forcing TV companies to make entertainment style news programs in order to keep viewers.

Hello Priscilla,

I watched CNN International, BBC UK and NHK world Japan but some local TV channel have international news too like Metro TV or TVone

i read Jakarta Post, Jakarta globe for the newspaper

but most of all I am googling by website, its very quick and update

Best regards,
Adri

I read the Jakarta Post and The Nation to keep track of the happenings in Indonesia apart from the TV.
Some magazines like Global Asia,Nikkei Review, and Jakarta Now also give ample news on Indonesia and the happenings too.