IndonesianTalk.com — ANTARA Strengthens Global News Agency Role During Week in Moscow
MOSCOW — A week-long working visit to Moscow from Sept. 16 to 23 saw Perum Lembaga Kantor Berita Nasional (LKBN) ANTARA expand its international media network while strengthening its role as Indonesia’s national news agency on the global stage.
ANTARA president director Benny Siga Butarbutar’s visit included an exclusive interview with the Indonesian Ambassador to Russia, meetings with several international media organizations and participation as a speaker at the “Plenary Session Dedicated to the 65th Anniversary of OANA.”
The series of engagements underscored the growing importance of cooperation among news agencies at a time when the global media industry is undergoing rapid technological and structural changes.
During the visit, ANTARA engaged with three major Russian media organizations — RT (Russia Today), Sputnik and TASS — to explore opportunities for cooperation and news exchange.
ANTARA and Sputnik signed a news exchange agreement, while discussions with RT focused on developing cooperation in media and communications.
Such partnerships are increasingly important for national news agencies seeking to broaden their international coverage and provide audiences with perspectives from different regions.
For ANTARA, strengthening its international network also provides an avenue to expand the reach of Indonesian perspectives beyond the country’s borders.
Connecting Indonesia with the global media network
An important part of Benny’s Moscow agenda was an exclusive interview with the Indonesian Ambassador to Russia.
The interview provided an opportunity for ANTARA to explore Indonesia-Russia relations and discuss broader developments affecting bilateral ties and the international environment.
For a national news agency, engagement with diplomatic representatives serves not only as a source of news but also as a way to provide audiences with greater context when reporting on international affairs.
The role of a news agency, therefore, extends beyond producing and distributing news.
It also involves connecting national perspectives with wider global conversations.
This role has become increasingly relevant as digital platforms have accelerated the circulation of information across borders.
A development taking place in Jakarta can reach audiences in Moscow, London, Tokyo or New York within seconds. But speed alone does not guarantee reliable journalism.
Accuracy, verification, credibility and context remain central to the work of professional news organizations.
Taking part in the OANA discussion
Benny’s participation as a speaker at the plenary session marking the 65th anniversary of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) provided another platform for ANTARA to engage with news agencies from the Asia-Pacific region.
The forum brought together perspectives on the future of news agencies amid rapid changes in digital technology, artificial intelligence and audience behavior.
For ANTARA, participation in the discussion also offered an opportunity to share Indonesia’s experience while learning from developments across the region.
News agencies are facing a media environment in which traditional boundaries between publishers, platforms and audiences are becoming increasingly blurred.
Artificial intelligence is also reshaping how news is produced, distributed and consumed.
Against this backdrop, cooperation between news agencies can provide a framework for maintaining professional standards while adapting to technological change.
Media diplomacy in the information age
ANTARA’s Moscow engagements also highlighted another dimension of the work of a national news agency: media diplomacy.
News exchange agreements and professional relationships between news organizations can broaden access to information while enabling countries to present their perspectives to international audiences.
For Indonesia, international media cooperation offers opportunities to bring domestic developments, economic issues, social affairs and other national stories into a broader global conversation.
But international reach ultimately depends on trust.
For news agencies, credibility is built through consistent journalistic standards, verification and responsible reporting. It cannot simply be created through technological reach or the speed of distribution.
The Moscow visit brought these elements together through three interconnected activities: strengthening media partnerships, engaging with Indonesian diplomacy and participating in an international news-agency forum.
Expanding Indonesia’s voice
Benny’s Sept. 16–23 visit to Moscow was more than a series of international meetings.
It reflected a broader challenge facing national news agencies: how to remain relevant and credible while becoming more globally connected.
ANTARA’s engagement with Russian media, its interview with the Indonesian Ambassador and its participation in the OANA plenary session all contributed to expanding its international network.
The objective is not simply to make Indonesian news available to a wider audience.
It is also to ensure that Indonesia has a stronger presence in the global flow of information.
As digital platforms, artificial intelligence and fragmented audiences continue to reshape journalism, news agencies face a fundamental question: how can they remain trusted sources in an environment increasingly dominated by speed and volume?
For ANTARA, its week in Moscow demonstrated one possible answer — strengthen international partnerships, expand professional networks and continue placing credibility at the center of its global role.
From Moscow, ANTARA is seeking not only to distribute more news internationally, but also to become a more connected participant in the global news ecosystem.
