ANTARA News Agency to build modern journalism complex
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: ANTARA News Agency will build a modern journalism complex in the historical Pasar Baru area, Central Jakarta, which will depict journalism during Indonesia’s independence struggle and facilitate a community forum to support national journalism development.
“The groundbreaking will be carried out on December 13, 2022, coinciding with the 85th anniversary of the ANTARA News Agency,” President Director of ANTARA News Agency Meidyatama Suryodiningrat explained here on Sunday.
The construction of the modern journalism complex is related to a plan to move ANTARA’s main office from Wisma ANTARA to the Pasar Baru Complex.
ANTARA News Agency was founded on December 13, 1937 by four imminent figures – Adam Malik, AM Sipahoetar, Soemanang, and Pandoe Kartawigoena, as a means of voicing resistance and a fight against colonizers.
The visionary ideals of the four became the inspiration for the modern journalistic complex, which is a revitalization of ANTARA’s historic building located on Antara Street, Pasar Baru, where the news of Indonesian Independence Declaration was broadcast by ANTARA journalists 77 years ago.
“ANTARA News Agency kundur (go back home) by building a new icon that reflects the transformation of a 21st-century news agency,” Suryodiningrat said.
He added that the new icon is expected to affirm ANTARA’s dedication to Indonesia even before the Independence.
ANTARA’s long 85-year journey of capturing every national historic event will be shown in the details of the complex design that will have public-accessible and environment-friendly functions.
The journalism complex icon will underline the transition of historical buildings to contemporary buildings considering its location near many historical or cultural symbols of Jakarta, such as the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta Cathedral, Jakarta Arts Building, and the Pos Bloc Complex.
Suryodiningrat said, the complex will consist of two parts, namely the former Aneta building which has been abandoned for 30 years, and the ANTARA Photojournalism Gallery (GFJA) building.
