Communication Strategy of the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs in the Performance and Affirmation Assistance Program (BKBA) through the REP-MEQR Project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/commicast.v6i3.14497Keywords:
BKBA program, Communication strategy, Madrasah education, Ministry of religious affairs, REP-MEQRAbstract
The rapid expansion of digital media has transformed government communication practices; however, its strategic application in large-scale education reform programs remains underexplored. In Indonesia, the Ministry of Religious Affairs utilizes digital platforms, particularly YouTube, to disseminate information on the Performance and Affirmation Assistance Program (BKBA) under the Realizing Education’s Promise Madrasah Education Quality Reform (REP-MEQR) Project. Despite the program’s critical role in reducing disparities among more than 78.000 madrasahs, empirical studies rarely examine how digital communication strategies function within a multi-level bureaucratic structure or how they are perceived by beneficiaries. This study aims to analyze the Ministry’s digital communication strategy in socializing the BKBA Program through video-based content and to assess responses from recipient madrasahs. The study contributes to the literature on digital government communication by providing empirical evidence on strategy effectiveness in a tiered governance context. A qualitative research design was employed, involving field observations, in-depth interviews with Ministry officials, project managers, and madrasah representatives, as well as content analysis of official YouTube materials. The findings reveal that the Ministry applies a systematic and tiered communication strategy combining digital platforms, technical guidance, and direct socialization. While generally effective, the strategy faces challenges related to unequal digital literacy, infrastructural limitations, and inconsistent regional support. Nevertheless, beneficiary madrasahs report positive impacts, particularly improvements in educational infrastructure and institutional capacity. The study concludes that coordinated, multi-level digital communication can enhance government program outreach, provided that inclusivity, contextualization, and regional capacity strengthening are prioritized.
References
Audunson, R. (2006). Technology and social inclusion. Rethinking the digital divide. Journal of Documentation. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410610653352
Ayyad, K., Radwan, A. F., Khalil, E., & AlDah, H. (2025). Bridging competency gaps in UAE government communication: Assessing skills, challenges, and professional development needs. Public Relations Inquiry. https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X251349858
Azzahrani, M. (2019). Strategi Komunikasi Pemasaran Kementerian Pariwisata Indonesia Dalam Pesona Indonesia Melalui Youtube. Jurnal Manajemen Komunikasi, 2(2), 144. https://doi.org/10.24198/jmk.v2i2.12925
Bangero, H. B. (2025). Best practices in e-government communication: Lessons from the local Governments’ use of official facebook pages. In Government Information Quarterly. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740624X25000048
Barrios-Pérez, C., Prudencio-Vásquez, C., & Mauricio-Andia, M. (2024). The Role of Digital Content Marketing in the Continuance of On-Demand Video Usage. International Conference Management, Tourism and Smart Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-74828-8_31
Biocca, F., Harms, C., & Burgoon, J. K. (2003). Toward a More Robust Theory and Measure of Social Presence: Review and Suggested Criteria. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 12(5), 456–480. https://doi.org/10.1162/105474603322761270
Calder, M., Dobson, S., Fisher, M., & McCann, J. (2018). Making sense of the world: Framing models for trustworthy sensor-driven systems. Computers, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/computers7040062
Canel, M., & Luoma‐aho, V. (2018). Public Sector Communication. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119135630
Cangara, H. (2014). Pengantar Ilmu Komunikasi (Edisi Kedua). In Jakarta: PT Rajagrafindo Persada.
Chen, H., Richard, O. C., Dorian Boncoeur, O., & Ford, D. L. (2020). Work engagement, emotional exhaustion, and counterproductive work behavior. Journal of Business Research, 114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.03.025
Chen, Y., & Wang, Y. (2025). Governance path of the digital innovation ecosystem in advanced manufacturing cluster: a case study of China’s Tai-Xin Integrated Economic Zone. Kybernetes. https://www.emerald.com/k/article/54/13/7302/1258603
Claramita, M., & Benson, J. (2023). Communication skills. Family Medicine in the Undergraduate Curriculum. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003325734-26
Covelo, V. (2004). Risk Communication: Evolution and Revolution (Peter M. Sandman Website).
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th Edition ed.). Sage Publishing.
Daft, R. L., & Lengel, R. H. (1986). Organizational Information Requirements, Media Richness and Structural Design. Management Science, 32(5), 554–571. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.32.5.554
Davies, P. (2015). Architectural History Retold. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315755953
Dennis, A. R., Fuller, R. M., & Valacich, J. S. (2008). Media, Tasks, and Communication Processes: A Theory of Media Synchronicity1. MIS Quarterly, 32(3), 575–600. https://doi.org/10.2307/25148857
Dobija, D., Grossi, G., Mora, L., Staniszewska, Z., & Kozlowski, L. (2023). Adaptive social media communication for web-based accountability. In Government Information Quarterly. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740624X2300059X
Effendy, O. U. (2015). Ilmu, Komunikasi Teori dan Praktek Komunikasi. In Bandung: PT. Citra Aditia Bakti.
Effendy, O. U. (2018). Ilmu Komunikasi Teori dan Praktek edisi cetakan 29. In Bandung: PT. Remaja Rosdakarya.
Emmanuel, O., & Ewoh, A. I. E. (2025). Government Communication Strategies and Citizen Participation: A Thematic Review. In Journal of Public Management & Social Policy. digitalscholarship.tsu.edu. https://digitalscholarship.tsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1241&context=jpmsp
Fairbanks, J., Plowman, K. D., & Rawlins, B. L. (2007). Transparency in government communication. Journal of Public Affairs, 7(1), 23–37. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.245
Fajriansyah, F. S. (2018). Strategi Komunikasi Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia Dalam Mensosialisasikan Aplikasi “Haji Pintar.” Fakultas Ilmu dakwah dan Ilmu Komunikasi Universitas Islam Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
Ferdowsi, S., & Hosseinzadeh, H. (2025). Digital content marketing in geotourism: bridging online engagement and destination choice. Current Issues in Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2025.2571868
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. (2012). Linking transparency, knowledge and citizen trust in government: an experiment. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 78(1), 50–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852311429667
Grunig, J. E. (2009). Paradigms of global public relations in an age of digitalisation. PRism, 6(2), 1–19.
Grunig, J. E., & Grunig, L. A. (2013). Models of public relations and communication. Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management, 285–325.
Grunig, J., & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations.
Haryanti, S., & Rusfian, E. Z. (2019). Government Public Relations and Social Media: Bridging the Digital Divide on People with Social Welfare Problems. JKAP (Jurnal Kebijakan Dan Administrasi Publik), 22(2), 128. https://doi.org/10.22146/jkap.34602
Hayles, N. K. (2024). How we think: Digital media and contemporary technogenesis. books.google.com. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=hdHJMV3u09oC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=digital+media&ots=yo4iROsUsu&sig=OGzMxcO8SIg0q_X2k4IYbjgt9xo
Herrera-Orozco, A., & Mora-Flórez, J. (2023). Communication-less adaptive directional overcurrent protection strategy considering islanded mode detection in active distribution networks. In Results in Engineering. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123023006655
Hoffman, D. L., & Fodor, M. (2010). Can you measure the ROI of your social media marketing? In MIT Sloan management review. sloanreview.mit.edu. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/can-you-measure-the-roi-of-your-social-media-marketing/
Hongcharu, B. (2024). The changing roles of mass media amidst the growth of the digital media. Cogent Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2297721
Hussain, A., Shabir, G., & Taimoor-Ul-Hassan, G. (2020). Cognitive needs and use of social media: a comparative study of gratifications sought and gratification obtained. Information Discovery and Delivery, 48(2). https://doi.org/10.1108/IDD-11-2019-0081
Jenkins, H. (2020). Convergence Culture. New York University Press. https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9780814743683.001.0001
Jimoh, A. L. (2025). Online service quality and civic engagement in Ilorin West, Nigeria: the mediating role of e-government communication experience. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-04-2025-0090/1298861
Juera, L. C. (2024). Digitalizing skills development using simulation-based mobile (SiM) learning application. In Journal of Computers in Education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-022-00246-8
Kavada, A. (2012). Engagement, bonding, and identity across multiple platforms: Avaaz on Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace. MedieKultur: Journal of Media and Communication research. https://tidsskrift.dk/mediekultur/article/view/5486
Kharisma Zhuhriani, I., Cinthia Fitrianas, A., & Shafira, K. (2021). phenomenology study of using Instagram applications in personal creativity in photography at SMAN 2 Cirebon students. COMMICAST, 3(1), 8–12. https://doi.org/10.12928/commicast.v3i1.5113
Loddo, O. G., Addis, A., & Lorini, G. (2022). Intersemiotic translation of contracts into digital environments. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2022.963692
Metzler, H., & Garcia, D. (2024). Social drivers and algorithmic mechanisms on digital media. Perspectives on Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916231185057
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook. 3rd. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Monge, P. R., & Contractor, N. (2003). Theories of Communication Networks. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195160369.001.0001
Mukherjee, P. P., Afroj, M., Hossain, S., & Biswas, M. (2022). Towards a digital twin integrated dlt and IoT-based automated healthcare ecosystem. International Conference on Recent Trends in Image Processing and Pattern Recognition. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23599-3_23
Nerissa, N., & Tutiasri, R. P. (2022). Interpersonal Communication Strategy Of Badminton Trainer In Increasing The Motivation Of Women’s Dual Athletes Djarum. JOSAR (Journal of Students Academic Research). https://ejournal.unisbablitar.ac.id/index.php/josar/article/view/2429
Odoom, R. (2025). Digital content marketing and consumer brand engagement on social media-do influencers’ brand content moderate the relationship? Journal of Marketing Communications. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2023.2249013
Pour, M. J., & Karimi, Z. (2024). An integrated framework of digital content marketing implementation: an exploration of antecedents, processes, and consequences. Kybernetes. https://doi.org/10.1108/k-02-2023-0178
Robertson, R. (1995). Glocalization: Time-Space and Homogeneity-Heterogeneity. In Global Modernities (pp. 25–44). SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446250563.n2
Rogers, E. M., Singhal, A., & Quinlan, M. M. (2014). Diffusion of innovations. An Integrated Approach to …. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203887011-36
Saaty, T. L. (2013). Analytic hierarchy process. In Encyclopedia of operations research and management …. Springer. https://www.academia.edu/download/51627807/saaty.pdf
Sadler-Smith, E. (2019). Hubristic Leadership. SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529714838
Salonen, A., Mero, J., Munnukka, J., Zimmer, M., & Karjaluoto, H. (2024). Digital content marketing on social media along the B2B customer journey: The effect of timely content delivery on customer engagement. In Industrial Marketing Management. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850124000221
Saygın, F., Aksoy, H., Alaboz, P., & Dengiz, O. (2023). Different approaches to estimating soil properties for digital soil map integrated with machine learning and remote sensing techniques in a sub-humid ecosystem. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11681-0
Schultz, D., & Schultz, H. (2004). The next generation: five steps for delivering value and measuring returns using marketing communication. Boston, Massachusetts: Mc Graw Hill.
Shannon, C., & Weaver, W. (2021). The Mathematical Theory of Communication (Urbana: University of Illinois, 1949). In The Shannon-Weaver theory is a quantitative model.
Sharma, V., Kumar, A., & Sharma, K. (2025). Digital twin: securing IoT networks using integrated ECC with blockchain for healthcare ecosystem. Knowledge and Information Systems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10115-024-02273-6
Shu, K., Sliva, A., Wang, S., Tang, J., & Liu, H. (2017). Fake news detection on social media: A data mining perspective. ACM SIGKDD Explorations Newslatter. https://doi.org/10.1145/3137597.3137600
Steinhoff, L., Arli, D., Weaven, S., & Kozlenkova, I. V. (2019). Online relationship marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-018-0621-6
Sundar, S. S., & Limperos, A. M. (2013). Uses and Grats 2.0: New Gratifications for New Media. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 57(4), 504–525. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2013.845827
Terho, H., Mero, J., Siutla, L., & Jaakkola, E. (2022). Digital content marketing in business markets: Activities, consequences, and contingencies along the customer journey. In Industrial Marketing Management. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850122001444
Toyama, K. (2011). Technology as amplifier in international development. Proceedings of the 2011 IConference, 75–82. https://doi.org/10.1145/1940761.1940772
Tutiasri, R. P., Rahmawati, D. H., Tanoyo, P., & Setiawan, J. D. (2022). Utilization of Agricultural Extension Communication Media: Utilization as a Communication for Millennial Farmer Development in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY). International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS). https://econpapers.repec.org/article/bcpjournl/v_3a6_3ay_3a2022_3ai_3a8_3ap_3a424-428.htm
Wang, Y., Zhou, Z., Gong, S., Jia, D., & Lei, J. (2021). The Effects of Emotional Design on Multimedia Learning and Appreciation of Chinese Poetry. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.621969
Warschauer, M. (2004). Technology and social inclusion: Rethinking the digital divide. books.google.com. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=nU4zz1O88mAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=technology+and+social+inclusion+rethinking+the+digital+divide&ots=rXYs0Sl42t&sig=XICJcu64nGs_XG4RVj_TsdPNHv4
Wulandari, A., Mulyana, D., Hadisiwi, P., & Rizal, E. (2025). Digital Learning Communication to Preserving Javanese: The Role of Digital Media in Education of Local Language in High Schools, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Educational Process: International Journal. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1483471
Xie, Q., & Lou, C. (2024). I feel like owning it! Exploring the antecedents of psychological ownership and its impact on brand loyalty in digital content marketing. Journal of Interactive Advertising. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2023.2295258
Xiong, F., & MacKenzie, K. (2015). The business use of Twitter by Australian listed companies. The Journal of Developing Areas, 49(6). https://doi.org/10.1353/jda.2015.0107
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Heru Susanto, Afdal Mangkuraga
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
License and Copyright Agreement
In submitting the manuscript to the journal, the authors certify that:
- They are authorized by their co-authors to enter into these arrangements.
- The work described has not been formally published before, except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, thesis, or overlay journal. Please also carefully read Commicast's Posting Your Article Policy at http://journal2.uad.ac.id/index.php/commicast/about/editorialPolicies#custom-5
- That it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere,
- That its publication has been approved by all the author(s) and by the responsible authorities – tacitly or explicitly – of the institutes where the work has been carried out.
- They secure the right to reproduce any material that has already been published or copyrighted elsewhere.
- They agree to the following license and copyright agreement.
Copyright
Authors who publish with Commicast agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.Â
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
Licensing for Data Publication
Commicast use a variety of waivers and licenses, that are specifically designed for and appropriate for the treatment of data:
Open Data Commons Attribution License, http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/by/1.0/ (default)
Creative Commons CC-Zero Waiver, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
Open Data Commons Public Domain Dedication and Licence, http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/pddl/1-0/
Other data publishing licenses may be allowed as exceptions (subject to approval by the editor on a case-by-case basis) and should be justified with a written statement from the author, which will be published with the article.
Open Data and Software Publishing and Sharing
The journal strives to maximize the replicability of the research published in it. Authors are thus required to share all data, code or protocols underlying the research reported in their articles. Exceptions are permitted but have to be justified in a written public statement accompanying the article.
Datasets and software should be deposited and permanently archived inappropriate, trusted, general, or domain-specific repositories (please consult http://service.re3data.org and/or software repositories such as GitHub, GitLab, Bioinformatics.org, or equivalent). The associated persistent identifiers (e.g. DOI, or others) of the dataset(s) must be included in the data or software resources section of the article. Reference(s) to datasets and software should also be included in the reference list of the article with DOIs (where available). Where no domain-specific data repository exists, authors should deposit their datasets in a general repository such as ZENODO, Dryad, Dataverse, or others.
Small data may also be published as data files or packages supplementary to a research article, however, the authors should prefer in all cases a deposition in data repositories.
