Digitization Local Media in Java, Indonesia, as Survival Strategy in Disruptive Era: Will it be a Success?

Sunset industry is an economical phenomena faced by local newspapers in Java Island, Indonesia recently. It is a consequence of the development disruptive era which be signed by digital technology. How do the local papers’s leaders comprehend the problem? This research problem is solved by a phenomenology research design in interpretive paradigm. The phenomenology theory and leadership theory in media are used to understand this phenomena. In the leadership phenomenology, the meaning and essence of leadership experience become the main objective of the study. Chief executive officers and editors of iconic local papers in Java Island were interviewed to get the data. It was analyzed by phenomenological procedures.The result showed that to be survived, the local papers developed a new platform in digital format such as pikiranrakyat.com, suaramerdeka.com, jawapos.com and krjogja.com. It was part of the strategy to survive in the middle of new communication technology’s attack such as social media. All local paper created a community service strategy to keep their readers stay with them. Developing a virtual newsroom was part of the strategy. The paper used new platform to get benefit from internet. All papers have new version in online media and try hard to persuade their readers to consume the online version.