The Copy-Paste Journalism dalam Media Online Transformasi Press Release dan Implikasinya terhadap Etika Jurnalistik serta Plagiarisme

Abstract

Online media have intensified competition based on speed journalism, in which timeliness is often regarded as the primary indicator of newsworthiness and journalistic success. Consequently, many newsrooms rely on press releases as practical, cost-effective, and publication-ready sources of information. This study aims to examine the transformation of press releases into online news articles and to explore its implications for journalistic ethics and plagiarism. The analysis is grounded in Gatekeeping Theory, which conceptualizes the media as information filters; News Production Theory, which explains news production routines within digital newsrooms; and the concept of Churnalism, which refers to the reproduction of pre-packaged content with minimal verification.

This research employs a qualitative approach using content analysis to examine a number of online news articles published by media outlets in Banten Province, Indonesia, that exhibit substantial similarities to press release texts. The findings reveal both partial and verbatim reproduction of content, with modifications largely limited to headline changes and minor editorial adjustments. From a gatekeeping perspective, the results indicate a weakening of the verification function in the news production process. Furthermore, the low level of source attribution suggests potential violations of journalistic ethics and raises concerns regarding plagiarism. This study highlights a broader shift in contemporary journalistic practice from verification-oriented reporting toward the reproduction of instant content, driven by the demands of speed and efficiency in digital news production.