BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR — The Indonesian Online Journalists Association (IWO) Bali used the commemoration of the 14th anniversary of IWO Indonesia and the first anniversary of IWO Bali as an opportunity to promote the regeneration of the journalism profession through a campus-level journalism competition.

Held under the theme “Viewing Bali from a Different Perspective,” the competition was part of the anniversary celebrations at the Bali Provincial Tourism Office Hall on Sunday (Aug. 30, 2026).

Five university students from across Bali were named winners after presenting journalistic works that explored various issues facing the island from critical and distinctive perspectives.

The winners were Ida Bagus Surya Pranas of ITB STIKOM Bali, a third-semester student, with his work titled “Bali Never Sleeps: The Pulse of Night Workers Behind the Glamour of the Tourist Island.”

Another winner was Ni Putu Hana Serena Yenita, 19, from LSPR University, whose work was titled “The Scent of Incense Being Replaced: Saving Bali’s Soul from the Grip of Concrete and Waste.”

Kadek Lalita Devi of Dhyana Pura University won with her work “The BTID Land Scandal: Land Swap Without a Certificate, Law Enforcement Ready to Act.”

Meanwhile, Kadek Alvina Resmiani of Ganesha University of Education highlighted the East Nusa Tenggara earthquake disaster through her work “Grief from East Nusa Tenggara: When the Earth of Flotim Shook on a Gloomy Saturday.”

The fifth winner, I Gusti Agung Ayu Putri Pradnyaparamita of Udayana University, focused on tourism and basic community needs in her work “When Tourism Flourishes but the Hosts Have No Water.”

The winners received certificates and cash awards presented by IWO Bali Chairperson Tri Widiyanti, witnessed by Bali Governor Wayan Koster and a number of government officials and invited guests.

One of the winners, Ni Putu Hana Serena Yenita, said the competition was well organized and structured. She also appreciated the public dialogue held as part of the anniversary program, saying it gave participants an opportunity to broaden their knowledge and connections.

“From my personal point of view, the event was very well organized and structured. It was also complemented by a public dialogue session that helped expand the participants’ networks and knowledge,” Hana said.

However, she suggested that information about similar competitions should be distributed more widely in the future so that more university students would learn about the opportunities and be encouraged to participate.

Tri Widiyanti said the journalism competition was the first such event organized by IWO Bali as part of its anniversary celebrations.

She stressed that the competition was not merely about determining winners, but also about creating a platform for university students to produce quality journalism that is critical, balanced and capable of presenting Bali from broader perspectives.

“For us, this competition is not merely about who wins. More importantly, it provides a space to appreciate students while encouraging the emergence of quality journalistic works that are critical, balanced and offer broader perspectives in viewing Bali,” Tri said.

She added that the competition was also designed as an entry point for identifying and encouraging the next generation of journalists in Bali.

Technological developments and changes in the way people consume information, Tri said, require the media industry to continuously adapt. IWO Bali therefore wants to provide opportunities for aspiring journalists and students who are beginning to explore journalism to demonstrate their abilities and ideas.

“We want to make this competition one of the entry points for identifying and encouraging the regeneration of journalists in Bali,” she said.

Tri expressed hope that the journalism competition would become a regular program and expand in the coming years. The goal, she said, is not simply to produce winners, but to nurture new talents capable of producing strong journalistic works while demonstrating concern for issues affecting local communities.

“We are using the 14th anniversary of IWO and the first anniversary of IWO Bali not only to celebrate the organization’s journey, but also to look ahead: how journalism in Bali will continue to grow and who will become part of the next generation,” Tri said.

The anniversary event was also attended by Bali Governor Wayan Koster, who serves as Chairman of the IWO Bali Honorary Council, as well as PT Jamkrida Bali Director A.A. Ngurah Adhi Ardhana, the Head of the Bali Provincial Public Order Agency, the Chairman of the Bali Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), representatives of the Bali National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the Chairman of the Bali General Elections Commission (KPU), and representatives of press company organizations, including JMSI and SMSI.

Student organizations were also represented, including the Student Executive Board (BEM) of Udayana University, Warmadewa University, Undiknas University and BIM University, as well as PMII, KMHDI, PMKRI, GMKI and LMND.

In addition to the journalism competition, the anniversary program featured a commemorative ceremony, a public dialogue titled “Viewing Bali from a Different Perspective,” and a social activity involving the distribution of assistance to children from underprivileged families.

Through the competition, IWO Bali is positioning university students not merely as contestants, but as potential new forces in Bali’s media landscape—young talents expected to bring critical, balanced and responsible journalism to issues affecting the community.