Indonesiabrief.com — DISRUPTION ERA DEMANDS AN INTEGRATED SPOKESPERSON ROLE IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION ARCHITECTURE
In an era of disruption, rapid digital technology development and changing patterns of public communication have transformed the role of the spokesperson into an increasingly strategic position.
A spokesperson is no longer simply expected to deliver statements on behalf of a leader. The role now requires the ability to manage strategic communication, understand rapidly evolving situations, respond to crises, and build and maintain public trust.
These issues were among the key topics discussed during the launch and book discussion of Juru Bicara: Perspektif Manajemen Komunikasi Politik di Era Disrupsi (Spokesperson: A Perspective on Political Communication Management in the Disruption Era), written by Prof. Marlinda Irwanti Poernomo and Benny Siga Butarbutar, at Antara Heritage Center in Jakarta on Friday, September 11, 2026.
Muhammad Qodari, Head of the Government Communications Agency of the Republic of Indonesia, said in his keynote speech that changes in the communication landscape had made the spokesperson’s position increasingly strategic.
The public now receives information through an expanding number of channels, while trust in news and information faces growing challenges. Government communication, therefore, can no longer be treated simply as a one-way process of delivering information.
“In a media environment like this, silence is not a neutral position. The information space is never empty. When the state does not explain its policies, there will always be others who explain them in their own version,” Qodari said.
According to Qodari, coordinated communication does not mean that every message must come from a single spokesperson. What matters is consistency in figures, terminology, facts and narratives across government institutions.
This is where the concept of an integrated spokesperson becomes increasingly relevant.
Beyond the Microphone
Marlinda Irwanti views the spokesperson’s profession in broader terms. A spokesperson is not merely someone who possesses strong speaking skills.
She compares the role to that of a conductor in an orchestra. A conductor does not play every instrument but ensures that every instrument moves in harmony. In government and organizational settings, a spokesperson plays a similar role by understanding leadership direction, translating policies, reading public responses and connecting various interests through a coherent communication strategy.
Marlinda also introduces the concept of the Chief Reassurance Officer.
“For me, a spokesperson is not simply someone who is good at speaking. The role can be likened to a conductor in an orchestra who plays a very important role,” Marlinda said.
“This book offers the role of the spokesperson as a Chief Reassurance Officer — not someone who makes problems appear nonexistent, but someone who makes people believe that real problems are being addressed seriously.”
The concept shifts the focus of communication from persuasion alone toward trust. A credible spokesperson does not necessarily have to deliver good news at all times. During a crisis, acknowledging that a problem exists can itself become an important part of credibility.
Four Core Capabilities
Benny Siga Butarbutar views the transformation of the spokesperson’s role through his extensive professional experience across journalism, corporate communications and government.
For more than two decades at the ANTARA News Agency, Benny served in a number of positions, including Managing Editor of Investigative Reporting and Head of the Tokyo Bureau. He subsequently moved into corporate communications, including roles at Garuda Indonesia and Citilink.
His experience later intersected with government communication. He served as a communications adviser at Bulog, Secretary General of PERHUMAS, Deputy I of the Government Communications Agency of the Republic of Indonesia, and currently leads the ANTARA News Agency.
According to Benny, an integrated spokesperson requires at least four core capabilities: leadership communication, sense-making, stakeholder communication, and an understanding of strategic decision-making.
These capabilities move the spokesperson beyond the role of information messenger. The spokesperson becomes a strategic actor who helps shape public perceptions, manage communication crises, and safeguard institutional credibility and legitimacy.
In other words, a spokesperson must understand not only what to say, but also why it should be said, to whom, in what context, and with what consequences.
Four Perspectives
The book discussion brought together four perspectives: academia, government, corporate and public communication practitioners, and the media. The discussion was moderated by Kompas Corporate Communication Director Glory Oyong.
Professor Dr. Gun Gun Heryanto, a professor of political communication, said that spokespersons should be positioned at the forefront of social change.
One essential requirement, he said, is access. A spokesperson needs direct access to the leader. Without such access, the position risks becoming merely symbolic. The spokesperson must understand the leader’s way of thinking, policy priorities and intended messages before translating them into language that can be understood by the public.
From the government perspective, Fifi Aleyda Yahya, Director General of Public Communication and Media at the Ministry of Communication and Digital of the Republic of Indonesia, said one of the book’s strengths was its effort to broaden the understanding of the spokesperson’s profession.
A spokesperson is no longer merely the transmitter of an official statement. The role has evolved into the personification of an institution, a translator of policy, a bridge between government and society, and an architect of public trust.
Boy Kelana Soebroto, Chairman of PERHUMAS, offered a similar perspective from corporate communication and public communication practice. He described the modern spokesperson as a leader of meaning — someone who protects organizational legitimacy, connects leadership with society and safeguards an institution’s most valuable asset: trust.
From the media perspective, Paulus Tri Agung Kristanto, Deputy Editor-in-Chief II of Harian Kompas, emphasized that a spokesperson is not merely a public relations officer whose role is to make excuses.
A spokesperson must be capable of presenting an institution and its leader as figures who understand the issues they face and possess a clear communication strategy. The ultimate objective is to ensure that the institution and leader being represented do not lose their dignity and credibility.
When Information No Longer Waits
Technological change has made the spokesperson’s task increasingly complex.
In the past, institutions had more time to prepare statements, hold press conferences and determine when information should be released. Today, a short video can trigger a national debate before an internal meeting has even concluded.
Speed is therefore important. But speed without accuracy can become a liability.
An integrated spokesperson must navigate competing demands: being fast without being careless; being transparent without disclosing information that should remain confidential; and being persuasive without becoming manipulative.
The book by Marlinda Irwanti Poernomo and Benny Siga Butarbutar places the profession within a broader framework of communication management, political science, mass psychology and ethics. It is not simply a manual for answering journalists’ questions, but an attempt to map how spokespersons operate amid changing relationships between the state, media and society.
Ultimately, the greatest challenge for a spokesperson is not to make everyone agree.
It is to make the public believe that when a problem emerges, the institution understands the issue, has a plan to address it, and is willing to take responsibility for the decisions it makes.
In the disruption era, such trust cannot be built through podiums, press releases or press conferences alone.
It is built through consistency.
And consistency requires more than one person who knows how to speak. It requires an architecture of communication.
About the Authors
Prof. Dr. Dra. Marlinda Irwanti Poernomo, SE., M.Si. served as a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) for the 2019–2024 period and as Director and Rector of Sahid University from 2020 to 2024. She brings perspectives on political communication and public leadership to the changing role of spokespersons.
Benny Siga Butarbutar has extensive experience in journalism, corporate communications and government. He began his career as a journalist at the ANTARA News Agency and subsequently served as Vice President of Corporate Communications at Citilink Indonesia and Garuda Indonesia, Deputy I of the Government Communications Agency of the Republic of Indonesia, and currently serves as President Director of the ANTARA News Agency.
