Reporting from the Frontlines of PON XXI: A Journey in National Sports Journalism

From local reports to the national stage. 🎤

It was an honor to serve as the sole female representative from TVRI North Sumatra for PON XXI Aceh-Sumut 2024. Covering Indonesia’s largest multi-sport event after a 71-year hiatus was more than a job—it was a masterclass in resilience and broadcast excellence.

Excellence in live broadcasting is rarely a stroke of luck, it is the result of immense effort, memorized scripts, and the grit to handle harsh critiques. My career path has been defined by these challenges, reporting local news for a national station 2–3 times a week and refining my craft with every segment. 

In 2024, this journey reached a new milestone. I was chosen to represent TVRI North Sumatra for the Pekan Olahraga Nasional (PON) XXI Aceh-Sumut. Organized by the National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI), this quadrennial event is the pinnacle of Indonesian sports, involving athletes from all 38 provinces. 

For North Sumatra, this was a historic moment—the return of the games to our region after a 71-year hiatus.

Breaking Barriers as a Representative

As the only female journalist representing my office, I worked in close proximity with TVRI National and TVRI Sport teams from Jakarta. Over the course of 14 days, I covered a rigorous rotation of disciplines, including billiards, swimming, martial arts, and volleyball. 

Highlights of the Assignment:

Opening Ceremony: Reported live and conducted a joint interview with four key people, followed by a private session with the Representative of Governor of North Sumatra, Agus Fatoni. 

Specialized Research: Immersed myself in the technical rules of swimming and volleyball to provide insightful, accurate commentary for a national audience. 

On-the-Go Journalism: To meet the demands of the JURNAL PON daily series,writing scripts in the car during my way back to Media Center and dubbing.

The Turning Point: The Volleyball Final

The peak of my assignment was the women’s volleyball final between West Java and East Java. Reporting live from volley stadium—surrounded by the "Fireball" anthem. Witnessing the East Java team’s victory while managing the hectic pace of live news was a career-defining moment. 

This experience was more than just a job, it was a testament to the power of preparation and the joy of storytelling in the field. I am proud to have contributed to the legacy of PON XXI.