Haris Pardede: from newspapers to football videosCEFR B1
23 Mar 2025
Adapted from Arpan Rachman, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Royhan Firdaus, Unsplash
Haris Kristanto Pardede moved from working as a sports journalist at Koran Sindo to creating video content online. He hosts the Bung Harpa YouTube channel and became better known after covering the Indonesian national team at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar. He reports from match fields and sometimes attends games in other countries, sharing first-hand information that mainstream outlets have not yet published.
In an interview at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta, Pardede said he started the channel because he loves football and wanted to share his views directly. He described how his journalism background shaped his approach and how clear, original reporting builds audience trust and helps stop rumours.
He also criticised some new-media journalists for relying mainly on existing sources instead of doing on-site reporting, and he urged more creativity in using available data and infrastructure to improve coverage.
Difficult words
- journalist — a person who reports news for mediajournalists
- mainstream — widely known or accepted media organisations
- first-hand — directly from the original source or experience
- on-site — done at the actual location of an event
- coverage — reporting about an event in the media
- rumour — information people spread without confirmed factsrumours
- criticise — express disapproval of someone or somethingcriticised
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you trust on-site reporters more than other sources? Why or why not?
- How can original video reporting help stop rumours in your community?
- Should journalists travel to other countries to report sports events? Give reasons.
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