3.png){kind=icon}
Business and Newsroom Management of Indonesian Esports News Media
Abstract
Background: The popularity of esports in Indonesia has driven the emergence of esports journalism as an integral part of sports journalism. Unlike traditional sports, esports grew out of gaming culture, which makes esports journalism a distinctive practice. In Indonesia, this phenomenon has driven various digital-native media outlets focused on esports coverage. However, studies on how local media manage their editorial and business operations in this field remain limited. Purpose: This research explored how IndoGamers–one of the pioneers of esports media in Indonesia–performs its newsroom and business management functions. Methods: It used a case study method with primary data collected through interviews with four members of the newsroom team, along with secondary data, analyzed using the POAC management model (Planning, Organizing, Actuating, and Controlling). Results: The results show that the editorial process no longer relies on conventional news values but is entirely driven by Google trends and SEO logic. Nevertheless, IndoGamers provides in-depth news coverage, especially concerning the benefits of esports. Therefore, it does not merely portray esports as a form of entertainment. The division of journalistic tasks based on specific game specializations–without involving external contributors–demonstrates the dominance of platform logic in newsroom management. Conclusion: These findings affirm that esports journalism requires a management model responsive to data, real-time trends, and digital visibility demands. It offers theoretical and practical contributions to digital media studies and newsroom management in the algorithm era. Implications: Thus, IndoGamers’ practice of aligning editorial decisions with Google search trends and SEO logic demonstrates that data-driven strategies function not only to increase traffic, but also as a mechanism to maintain the relevance and accessibility of educational esports coverage while simultaneously fostering more positive and socially valuable narratives for audiences.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Ar Ridha, M. A. (2023). Model manajemen media Podcast RadioMu dalam Spotify. Jurnal Audiens, 2(1), 106–118. https://doi.org/10.18196/jas.v2i1.10210
Atmam, A. R. (2022). Penerapan konvergensi media dalam produksi berita olahraga: Studi kasus bolasport.com. Ekspresi Dan Persepsi: Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 5(1), 81–94. https://doi.org/10.33822/jep.v5i1.3017
Carrani, L. M., Baena-Riera, A., Altarriba-Bartés, A., Gil-Puga, B., Piedra, A., Piniés-Penadés, Gerard, Casals, M., & Peña, J. (2022). Are eSports players comparable to traditional athletes? A cross-sectional study. Aloma: Revista de Psicologia, Ciències de l’Educació i de l’Esport, 40(2), 83–92. https://doi.org/10.51698/aloma.2022.40.2.83-92
Ceide, C. F., López, M. T., & González, I. M. (2022). A new scenario in digital communication: eSports coverage on public broadcasters in Europe. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 88–113. https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1782
Chiu, A. (2025). An industry or a sport: Media framing of esports development in Hong Kong. Social Transformations in Chinese Societies, 21(1), 97–108. https://doi.org/10.1108/STICS-07-2024-0009
Cholis, N., & Wardiana, D. (2018). Manajemen strategi redaksi dan bisnis koran olahraga Topskor dalam menghadapi persaingan dengan media online di era konvergensi media. Kajian Jurnalisme, 1(2), 124–146. https://doi.org/10.24198/jkj.v1i2.21336
Donder, S. De, Daneels, T. R., & Rowan. (2022). Virtual athlete or ultimate nerd? A framing analysis of eSports in Flemish printed media. Sport in Society, 26(5), 757–773. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2022.2063119
Ervine, J. (2019). From skepticism to celebration: French football’s changing attitudes to videogames. Contemporary French Civilization, 44(1), 101–119. https://doi.org/10.3828/cfc.2019.6
Fink, C. C. (1996). Strategic newspaper management. Allyn and Bacon.
Formosa, J., O’Donnell, N., Horton, E. M., Türkay, S., Mandryk, R. L., Hawks, M., & Johnson, D. (2022). Definitions of esports: A systematic review and thematic analysis. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 6(CHI PLAY), 1–45. https://doi.org/10.1145/3549490
Gregory, E. (2020). Methodological challenges for the qualitative researcher: The use of a conceptual framework within a qualitative case study. London Review of Education, 18(1), 126–141. https://doi.org/10.18546/LRE.18.1.09
Gupta, D., Sharma, H., & Gupta, M. (2022). Doping as a barrier in universal acceptance of esports. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 23(3), 645–664. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2021-0105
Herdyanto, A. (2019). Ini ranking 15 besar media game Indonesia di 2019 berdasarkan Alexa. IDN Times. https://www.idntimes.com/tech/games/peringkat-media-game-di-indonesia-2019-ini-00-3tklw-k7cg53
Hosky, A. M. W., & Wibowo, T. O. (2023). Group communication process between Mobile Legend Game Players in Pendekar Esports Community. Sibatik Journal, 2(9), 2791–2802. https://doi.org/10.54443/sibatik.v2i9.1300
IndoGamers. (2025). Esports olahraga atau bukan? Ini pandangan dosen FIK UNY. IndoGamers. https://indogamers.com/news/51050/24052025/esports-olahraga-atau-bukan-ini-pandangan-dosen-fik-uny
Indriana, F., & Indriastuti, Y. (2025). Analisis konten personal branding influencer Mobile Legends: Bang-Bang (MLBB) @JonathanLiandi pada media TikTok. Hulondalo Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan Dan Ilmu Komunikasi, 4(1), 87–96. https://doi.org/10.59713/jipik.v4i1.1174
Irianto, T., Rahmadi, R., Rakhman, A., & Muhammad, F. (2022). Kebugaran jasmani pegiat dan atlet esports di lingkungan lahan basah. Multilateral: Jurnal Pendidikan Jasmani Dan Olahraga, 21(3), 228–238. https://doi.org/10.20527/multilateral.v21i3.14215
Itmam, M. S., & Nur, D. M. M. (2025). Kajian sosiologi hukum terhadap potret, eksistensi dan peran alumni Program Studi Magister Ekonomi Syariah Pascasarjana IAIN Kudus tahun 2016-2021. Scientific Journal of Reflection: Economic, Accounting, Management and Business, 8(1), 316–324. https://doi.org/10.37481/sjr.v8i1.1048
Jeong, D., & Youk, S. (2023). Refining esports: A quantitative cartography of esports literature. Entertainment Computing, 47, 100597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2023.100597
Jiwandono, H. P. (2024). Mobile game esports as an Indonesian national identity. In Asian Histories and Heritages in Video Games (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003461319-10
Kriglstein, S., Martin-Niedecken, A. L., Spjut, J., Damen, N. B., Türkay, S., & Drachen, A. (2022). Esports meets human-computer interaction. Interactions, 29(3), 42–47. https://doi.org/10.1145/3524855
Marcella, D., & Sazali, H. (2023). Fenomena trash-talking antar pemain game online Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Studi kasus mahasiswa Ilmu Komunikasi UIN Sumatera Utara). Jurnal Indonesia : Manajemen Informatika Dan Komunikasi, 4(3), 1138–1145. https://doi.org/10.35870/jimik.v4i3.335
Marta, R. F., Prasetya, A. A., Laurensia, B., Stevani, S., & Syarnubi, K. L. (2020). Imbalance identity in e-sports news intersectionality on Covid-19 pandemic situation. Jurnal ASPIKOM, 5(2), 206–218. https://doi.org/10.24329/aspikom.v5i2.769
Masduki. (2004). Menjadi broadcaster profesional. Pustaka Populer LKiS.
Meodia, A. (2024). Turnamen Mobile Legends Vaporlax-Indogamers diikuti 1.536 pemain. Antara News. https://www.antaranews.com/berita/3940854/turnamen-mobile-legends-vaporlax-indogamers-diikuti-1536-pemain
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
Millah, S. (2021). Indonesia punya kontribusi besar lho untuk esports di Asia Tenggara. Hypeabis.Id. https://hypeabis.id/read/2831/indonesia-punya-kontribusi-besar-lho-untuk-esports-di-asia-tenggara
Mulya, A., Dlis, F., & Hanif, A. S. (2020). The evaluation of sport journalism of Tempo Magazine. Jurnal Pengajian Media Malaysia, 22(1), 85–95. https://doi.org/10.22452/jpmm.vol22no1.6
Musfialdy, M., Hidayat, D. R., Karlinah, S., Wahyudin, U., & Jamal, M. F. (2024). The mechanism of newsroom and TV journalist work routines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kajian Jurnalisme, 7(2), 112–125. https://doi.org/10.24198/jkj.v7i2.46409
Navarro-Lucena, F., Molinillo, S., & Anaya-Sánchez, R. (2024). Effects of the spectator’s emotional attachment to esports players on the sponsoring brand. Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administracion, 37(4), 513–528. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARLA-05-2024-0094
Newman, J. I., Xue, H., Watanabe, N. M., Yan, G., & McLeod, C. M. (2020). Gaming gone viral: an analysis of the emerging esports narrative economy. Communication & Sport, 10(2), 241–270. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479520961036
Nufer, G., & Mariot, D. (2022). Branding in esports: an empirical analysis of the specifics of public relations compared to traditional sports. IUP Journal of Brand Management, 19(2), 7–23. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/branding-esports-empirical-analysis-specifics/docview/2698713132/se-2?accountid=13771
Oh, T., Kang, J.-H., Lee, Y., & Choi, S. M. (2024). Comparison of audience behavior between esports and authentic sports fans. Behavioral Sciences, 14(4), 313–324. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14040313
Painter, D. L., & Sahm, B. (2023). Framing esports’ JEDI issues: a case study in media irresponsibility. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 28(3), 506–521. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-06-2022-0068
Perreault, G., & Bell, T. R. (2020). Towards a “digital” sports journalism: Field theory, changing boundaries and evolving technologies. Communication & Sport, 10(3), 398–416. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479520979958
Perreault, G. P., & Perreault, M. F. (2021). Esports as a news specialty gold rush: Communication ecology in the domination of traditional journalism over lifestyle journalism. In Handbook of Research on Pathways and Opportunities Into the Business of Esports (pp. 303–320). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7300-6.ch014
Perreault, G., & Vos, T. (2019). Metajournalistic discourse on the rise of gaming journalism. New Media & Society, 22(1), 159–176. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819858695
Prastya, N. M., Puspa, F., Ramadhani, R., & Ningsih, I. N. D. K. (2022). Newsroom management of badminton news media in Indonesia. Kajian Jurnalisme, 6(1), 92–105. https://doi.org/10.24198/jkj.v6i1.38712
Rogers, R., Farquhar, L., & Mummert, J. (2020). Motivational differences among viewers of traditional sports, esports, and NBA 2K league. Communication & Sport, 10(2), 175–194. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479520942738
Rojas-Torrijos, J. L., & Nölleke, D. (2023). Rethinking sports journalism. Journalism and Media, 4(3), 853–860. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia4030053
Rong, Y., & Li, J. (2024). The role played by insider transfer information in esports coverage. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, 1346984. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1346984
Schöber, T., & Stadtmann, G. (2022). The dark side of e-sports: An analysis of cheating, doping & match-fixing activities and their countermeasures. Nternational Journal of Esports, 1(1). https://www.ijesports.org/article/98/html
Siuda, P., Jasny, M., Mańkowski, D., & Sitek, M. (2023). The problematic nature of evaluating esports’ “genuineness” using traditional sports’ criteria: In-depth interviews with traditional sports and electronic sports journalists. Leisure Studie, 43(2), 235–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2023.2215471
Sonni, A. F., Hidayatullah, F., & Sudarmin, S. (2025). Celebes Petang: News program production mechanism on local televisions. Kajian Jurnalisme, 8(2), 175–188. https://doi.org/10.24198/jkj.v8i2.50635
Tang, T., Kucek, J., & Toepfer, S. (2020). Active within structures: Predictors of esports gameplay and spectatorship. Communication & Sport, 10(2), 195–215. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479520942740
Triantafyllou, S., & Antonopoulou, P. (2022). Sports journalism into the digital environment: New forms of reporting. International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research, 7(3), 668–683. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2022.v07i03.011
Vikulov, V. (2017). Cyber journalism in Russia: Ethics as a criterion of institutionalization. Russian Journal of Communication, 9(3), 300–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/19409419.2017.1376565
Wali, C. N., & Widiyanto. (2020). Aksiologi esports sebagai olahraga non fisik di Indonesia. SPORTIF: Jurnal Penelitian Pembelajaran, 6(3), 640–656. https://doi.org/10.29407/js_unpgri.v6i3.14926
Widaya, M., & Susilo, D. (2024). Analisis konten Instagram @mpl.id dalam mempromosikan olahraga elektronik gim daring Mobile Legends. Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Ilmu Komunikasi, 8(2), 132–141. https://doi.org/10.33751/jpsik.v8i2.10851
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24198/jkj.v9i2.62719
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Kajian Jurnalisme Indexed by:
Editorial Office of Kajian Jurnalisme:
Journalism Study Program, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran
Building 3 2nd Floor, Jl. Raya Bandung Sumedang KM.21, Jatinangor, Sumedang Regency, West Java 45363
Email: kajian.jurnalisme.fikom@unpad.ac.id
Telepon: (022) 7796954
Faks: (022) 7794122
Kajian Jurnalisme Supervised by:
