Dr. Farid Rusdi, S.S., M.Si., a lecturer at the Faculty of Communication Science (Fikom), Universitas Tarumanagara (Untar), has earned his doctoral degree in communication science from Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad). He was awarded the degree after successfully defending his dissertation during the doctoral promotion session at Unpad Campus, Jatinangor, West Java, on Thursday (August 14, 2025).
In his dissertation, titled “Negotiation Between Agency and Structure in Journalistic Practices of Suara.com and Kompas.com (A Case Study of Editorial Autonomy in Online Media Amid Traffic- and Algorithm-Based Business Models),” Dr. Farid examined the dynamics of editorial autonomy in the digital media era.
His research stemmed from observations of the media industry’s shift from conventional to digital, which requires outlets to rely on traffic-driven and algorithm-based business models. According to him, this shift presents new challenges for journalistic integrity.
“The interaction between agency and structure in the newsroom is never static. Journalists negotiate, interpret policies, and utilize metric data to maintain professionalism within structural constraints,” said Dr. Farid, who previously worked as a journalist. He found that editorial autonomy is shaped through continuous negotiation, rather than merely being the result of policies or existing regulations.
The dissertation was supervised by Prof. Dr. Dadang Rahmat Hidayat, S.H., S.Sos., M.Si., Dr. Siti Karlinah, M.Si., and Dr. Nina Mutmainnah, M.Si.
Through his research, Dr. Farid emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between the demands of digital media business models and the principles of journalistic independence. His findings are expected to provide academic contributions while also serving as a practical reference for online newsrooms in developing editorial strategies that remain ethical, professional, and in the public interest. (YS/LI)
