International scholars and young researchers discuss communication, media, sports, digital culture, AI, and contemporary society

Jakarta, Indonesia. June 24, 2026. The Center for Media and Sports Studies successfully held the Presentation Day – International Essay Competition 2026 on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, through Zoom Video Communications. Carrying the theme “Communication, Media, and Contemporary Society,” the event brought together international academics, guest students, and shortlisted essay nominees from Indonesia and abroad to discuss contemporary transformations in media, sports communication, digital culture, political communication, and artificial intelligence.

The program opened at 1:00 PM Jakarta Time with participant registration, technical preparation, and audio-visual checks. The formal session began with the Master of Ceremony, Nur Fatia Ramadhan, followed by a welcoming speech from the Center for Media and Sports Studies, marking the start of an academic forum designed to strengthen international scholarly dialogue and provide a platform for emerging researchers.

The first international guest lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Thomas Horky from Macromedia University, Germany, who presented “Hybrid Forms of Sports: Reflections on a Theory of the Virtualization of Media Sports.” His keynote addressed the changing landscape of sports communication, particularly the growing role of digital technology, interaction, immersion, virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and what he conceptualized as the virtualization of media sports. The lecture highlighted how modern sports are increasingly shaped by hybrid forms that connect real sports, virtual sports, media systems, and audience participation.

Following the keynote, Daniel Klemens Hempel from Leipzig University, Germany, delivered a guest student presentation entitled “Climate Change in Media: How Sports Journalism Adapts.” The presentation expanded the discussion by examining how sports journalism responds to climate-related challenges and changing public expectations.

The second international guest lecture was presented by Prof. Brody J. Ruihley from Miami University, USA, with the topic “Introducing Legal Sports Betting into the Media Environment: Opportunities and Concerns.” His session addressed the implications of legalized sports betting for media industries, sports audiences, public communication, and ethical debate.

The program continued with another guest student presentation, followed by the third international guest lecture by Dr. Jeffrey Ancheata from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, who presented “How Filipino Youth Talk Politics? A Pilipinong Komunikasyon Analysis of Generation Z Political Discourse in the 2025 Philippine Elections.” His lecture contributed a Southeast Asian perspective on youth political communication, digital discourse, and the role of language and culture in understanding Generation Z’s political expression.

A further guest student presentation was delivered by Nicolas Vin from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, before the event proceeded to the International Essay Competition Final Session. During this session, shortlisted nominees presented their works in three major thematic clusters: Media, Sports, and Supporter Culture; Political Communication, Digital Culture, and Gen Z Identity; and AI, Algorithms, and the Trust Crisis.

The finalist presentations reflected a wide range of contemporary concerns, including supporter culture, the mediatization of sports, media framing in Indonesian football, digital identity, meme warfare, deepfakes, algorithmic exploitation, the attention economy, post-truth media environments, and AI-generated public opinion. Each nominee was given a maximum of five minutes to present, demonstrating both academic originality and relevance to current debates in communication and media studies.

The closing ceremony included the announcement of the competition winners and best presenters. The Grand Winner was awarded to Nabilah Aulya Ar Rayya from President University for the essay “Morbid Algorithms: The ‘Link Tanpa Blur’ Phenomenon and Algorithmic Exploitation of Digital Curiosity.”

The 1st Winner was Siti Balqis Sari Manah from Universitas Djuanda, Bogor, for “Media Framing of Failure and Development in Indonesian Football.” The 2nd Winner was Obed Bima Wicandra from Petra Christian University, Surabaya, for “Graffiti, Mobility, and Affective Communication: Rethinking Bonek Supporter Culture through Rhizopora.” The 3rd Winner was Ali Firdausi from UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, for “Deepfakes, Informational Acceleration, and Public Trust: A Virilian Analysis of Indonesia’s 2026 Pension-Assistance Hoax.” In addition, CMSS conferred the Best International Appreciation Paper award on Jed O. Pascua from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines for the paper titled “When Media Thinks: Rethinking Communication Research in Contemporary Society.” This award recognizes the significance of international scholarly participation in the event and honors a paper that offers a meaningful contribution to current communication studies discourse.

The Best Presenter awards were also announced. Taufik Al Hakim from Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu was named 1st Best Presenter. Michelle Floranica from Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta received the 2nd Best Presenter award, while Dr. Dwi Kartikawati from Universitas Nasional Jakarta was recognized as the 3rd Best Presenter. CMSS also awarded the International Best Presentation to Daniel Klemens Hempel from Leipzig University, Germany, for his presentation “Climate Change in Media: How Sports Journalism Adapts.” His presentation was recognized for its timely engagement with climate-related issues in sports journalism and for contributing an international perspective to the broader discussion on media adaptation in contemporary society.

Through this event, the Center for Media and Sports Studies reaffirmed its commitment to advancing international academic collaboration and supporting young scholars in producing critical, timely, and socially relevant research. The Presentation Day also demonstrated the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue in addressing the challenges of contemporary communication, especially in relation to digital media, sports culture, political discourse, algorithmic systems, and public trust.

The event concluded with closing remarks and a group photo session. Further information, including related announcements, will be made available through the Center for Media and Sports Studies official website.

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