Surat Kabar Gebrak di Kota Medan (1998-2019)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the history and development of the local print media Gebrak in maintaining its existence in the city of Medan amid competition from digital mass media. This study uses a historical research method with a qualitative approach. Data analysis was conducted by comparing written sources, namely company reports, with oral sources obtained from interviews with a number of informants. The researcher interviewed several informants, namely the founders of the newspaper company, the newspaper's editor-in-chief, and newspaper reporters, who were obtained using the snowball sampling technique. The results of the study revealed that the Gebrak newspaper was founded on November 4, 1998, after the Dobrak company was officially closed. The Gebrak newspaper presents news on crime, education, politics, and economics occurring in various regions in Indonesia. The existence of the local Gebrak newspaper in the city of Medan is currently competing with digital media that is widely distributed through the smartphones of the surrounding community. In addition, competition with other print media is a challenge for the Gebrak newspaper itself. The conclusion of this research is that the Gebrak newspaper has become one of the local print media outlets that is able to compete with the development of digital media and technology. In addition, the Gebrak newspaper is a print media outlet that has its own business strategy to maintain its existence in the present.