By Marchel Espina

“A package sent by an unknown sender addressed to one of our journalists, a female investigative journalist, who hosts a political podcast that has been gaining significant traction … At first, nothing seems suspicious until it was opened, and inside was a rotting pig. Its ears were cut off, and the smell was overwhelming. It was felt in the entire newsroom. There was no explanation. But the message is very, very clear. Stop reporting, stop investigating, and stop asking questions,” Jajang Jamaluddin, Deputy Director at PT Tempo, said during Digital Media Asia in Manila.

‘Instead of fear, we saw solidarity’

In Indonesia, which has seen many cases of terror and intimidation, sending an animal carcass is considered a preliminary warning, Jamaluddin said.

“The message was stop doing something, or you’ll end up like this animal. And this didn’t happen in isolation. The day before the arrival of the package, a group of unidentified protesters, had a demonstration in front of a press council building. They demanded that the press council punish us. They accused us of being a big foreign-funded media that had political agenda that was against national interest. Of course, an allegation without evidence, without basis … the pressure comes in two forms. First, intimidation. And the second is delegitimisation,” Jamaluddin said.

But something unexpected happened, he said. “Instead of fear, we saw solidarity. Support comes from citizens, academics, activists, artists, and students. People who might not always agree with us, but who believe journalism must not be silent. They came to our office day after day and showed their solidarity and support. And inside the newsroom…we made a decision. We wouldn’t step back,” he said.

The undeterred team later published an investigative report exposing online gambling networks operating from Cambodia that were linked to powerful actors, businessmen, and political figures in Indonesia.

“In Indonesia, online gambling is illegal. Yet many people, especially from lower-income groups, are becoming addicted. Families are affected. Savings are lost. Social problems increase. So this is not just a legal issue. It is a social one,” he said.

Jamaluddin said they turned this crisis into revenue.

“Tempo is a legacy media organisation. Originally, in print. Our flagship is Tempo news weekly magazine, mostly on politics and economics. But now we are transforming into a fully digital newsroom,” he said.

‘The risk of investigative journalism is increasing’

Like many media organisations, Tempo faces serious challenges as traditional advertising revenue continues to decline, Jamaluddin said.

“Digital revenue is growing significantly, but not fast enough to replace what we have lost. At the same time, the risk of investigative journalism is increasing. Physical threat, digital attacks, legal pressure,” he added.

He said the pressure was not only temporary, but structural. As a result, that moment of crisis became a turning point for the organisation.

“We realised something important. Crisis brings attention. Traffic increase…but as you may know, attention alone doesn’t sustain journalism,” he added.

They reframed journalism as a public service, not just content, Jamaluddin said.

“So we ask, how do we convert attention or emotion into commitment? That wisdom led to a strategic shift. Either in the newsroom or in the business room. We reframe our journalism first. Our journalism is not just content. It is a public shift. Built to protect the public interest. Once that became clear to our audience, the role of the audience also changed. They were no longer just readers. We invite them to become participants in the civic mission,” he said.

Tempo moved away from generic calls to action such as “subscribe now” and instead emphasised that every subscription helps fund investigations, protect editorial independence, and allow journalists to continue working under pressure.

An 80 percent increase in registered users

“We make it clear to our audience. Every subscription is funding investigation, protect our independence and allow us to continue working under pressure…it becomes a statement of commitment. A signal of alignment. At the same time, we strengthen our value…we ensure that support is not only meaningful but also valuable for our audience,” Jamaluddin said.

 The initiative resulted in an 80 percent increase in registered users and a 65 percent conversion rate that was sustained for three consecutive weeks. More importantly, Jamaluddin said it transformed passive readers into committed supporters.

“And finally, revenue increased by up to 123%. This is not traffic. This is the value being captured. In short time, this contributes to 28% of our annual target in terms of digital revenue, which means, this was not incremental growth. It was a structural impact on our business,” he said.

Tempo’s sustainability strategy is built on three key elements: strong journalism, audience understanding, and effective execution, Jamaluddin said.

“Growth is not accidental…it starts with strong journalism. Or great content. Work that matters. Work that people trust. It is high impact investigation. Then, audience understanding. We should understand not just what people read, but what they feel and why they act. And finally, execution. A system that is clear, seamless, and easy to act on. Because even when people believe, if the path is complicated, they will not act. When these three come together from journalism, clear audience connection, and discipline expression, we see real growth and real resilience…they send us a threat to stop us…because in the end, journalism doesn’t survive one attention only. It survives when people decide it is worth defending,” he said.

About the author: Marchel Espina is a freelance journalist from the Philippines and a consultant for WAN-IFRA Women in News.