ARTISTS ONLINE PROSTITUTION

IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL REALITY

Sumarni Bayu Anita1 and Lishapsari Prihatini2
Secretary of Department of Communication STISIPOL Candradimuka Palembang, sb.anita@gmail.com
2
Chairperson of STISIPOL Candradimuka Palembang, lishapsari@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Since the rumor of online artist prostitution airings, Indonesian mass media was crowded of making it as a trending
topic of discussion. For five consecutive days, Sunday-Thursday (10-14/5/2015), one of the major newspapers in
South Sumatra, Sriwijaya Post making news online prostitution artist on the front page, three of them as headlines.
The construction of social reality world of artist who is close to the commodification of the body, made this old
issue getting renewable returned. The contribution of mass media on raising, framing, and discussing it provided the
significant input on the audiences opinion, who watched, listened and read those medias. Due to this reason, the
news of online artists prostitution was discussed based on the construction analysis of social reality in relation to the
construction theory of Berger and Luckmann. From this analysis, the result was obtained through the dialectical
social interaction from three forms of entry concept becomes reality, the objective reality, symbolic reality, and
subjective reality. The news about online artist prostitution was also becoming the moral duty of the media
personnel in carrying out the communication ethics. The messages that were delivered were not only as a
phenomenon, but also as an icon of the meaning of social construction in the society. Artists were the art workers
whose life could not be that separated from the art of news itself.
Keywords: online prostitution, artist, construction, social reality, newspapers, communication ethics

A. INTRODUCTION
A.1. Background
The news of being arrested the artist initials AA, Friday (08/05/2015) night in a five star hotel in South
Jakarta area who was serving the customer that no other the undercover cop instantly surprised many people
(Sriwijaya Post, 10/05/2015). This event got move attention of public directly and the media are inevitably
immediately made it as news that should be put on the main agenda of the talks. Not only mass media, the medium
of television, radio and the internet, other print media also made this news as their headline. Similarly, the Sriwijaya
Post, one of the leading printed media in South Sumatra also made the news of the artist online prostitution as a
major issue for 5 consecutive days, Sunday-Thursday (10-14/5/2015).
The construction of social reality world of the artist who is close to the commodification of the body,
making this 'old issues' getting with renewed back. The contribution of the mass media in raising, framing, and
discussing it provide the significant input inside the minds of viewers, listeners, and readers of medium. Due to this
reason, the news of online prostitution artist will be investigated based on the analysis of the social construction of
reality in relation to the theory of social construction Berger and Luckmann. The term social construction of reality
itself defined as a social process through actions and interactions where individuals are constantly creating a reality
that is owned and experienced subjectively (Nurhadi, 2015: 120).
From the results of this study, it will then try to understand critically on the relationship between the
construction of reality prostitution artist online and the privacy issues in ethics in terms of communication carried by
the media, especially the daily printed media Sriwijaya Post. Did the eviction value of privacy in such
communications practices complain by the Indonesian artists today? The news online prostitution artist should
become the moral duty of the media personnel in carrying out communication ethics. Or simply will it always be the
material of 'entertainment' for us for a moment then forget the thorny issues in our own lives?

A.2. Theory of Social Reality Construction

The words of Aristotle 'cogito ergo sum' which means "I think therefore I am" is a basis for the
development of the ideas of constructivism to date. Written by Nurhadi (2015: 120-121), in 1710, Vico in 'De
Antiquissima Italorum Sapientia', expressed his philosophy by saying 'God is the creator of the universe and man is
lord of creation'. According to Vico, that only God himself could understand the universe as only he knows how to
make it and from what he makes, while the man could only know something that has been constructed.
So far there are three kinds of constructivism, namely radical constructivism, realism hypothesis, and
constructivism usual. From these three kinds of constructivism, there are similarities in which constructivism is seen
as an individual cognitive work to interpret the existing reality world due to the social relations between the
individual and the environment or the people around him. Individuals then build their own knowledge of reality is
seen, based on the structure of pre-existing knowledge, Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann called it as the
Theory of Social Construction.

Berger and Luckmann (Nurhadi, 2015: 122) said, there is a dialectic between the individual and society
creates communities create individual. This dialectic process occurs in three stages (moment), namely
externalization, objectivation, and internalization. In addition, this dialectic process also appears in the construction
process according to Berger and Luckmann, the proceeds through dialectical social interaction of the three forms of
entry concept becomes reality, the objective reality, symbolic reality, and subjective reality. Based on that three
forms of realities, the researchers tried to analyze how the news of online artists prostitution who emerged in the
early of May 2015 and was constructed by the media then consumed by the public.

A.3. Research Methodology

Based on Creswell (2010), this study is the qualitative approach with case study as the reaserch strategy.
This is because the researchers wanted to understand how the social construction of reality happened on prostitution
incident of artist online reviewed the cases of being arrested artist AA on Friday (08/05/2015) with pimping RA who
then preaching published from in newspapers Sriwijaya Post. Primary data from this study itself is Sriwijaya Post
newspaper as many as five consecutive editions, the edition of Sunday-Thursday (10-14 / 5/2015) by taking the
news that the theme of online artists prostitution.

Figure 1. Five Edition Sriwijaya Post (Sunday-Thursday, 10-14/5/2015)

B. DISCUSSION
After exposure in the background, both theory and methodology above, the researchers will including the
discussion of the study in this section. As noted previously, the researchers will unpack the issues of prostitution of
online artist through the Theory of Social Construction of Berger and Luckmann which emphasizes on social
interaction dialectical part of the three forms of entry concept becomes reality, the objective reality, symbolic reality,
and subjective reality.
The news about artists online prostitution contained in Sriwijaya Post for five consecutive editions,
Sunday-Thursday, 10-14/5/2015 will become the start of the research. Sriwijaya Post itself is a daily newspaper
published in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. The newspaper, which is located on Jl. Alam Queen Prawira
State No. 120 Bukit Lama, Ilir Barat I Palembang, Tel (0711) 440088 is included in the Kompas Gramedia Group
and has been published since 1974.

B.1. Objective Reality

Objective reality is a reality of the definition of complexity (including ideology and beliefs) as well as
routine actions and behavior pattern that has been established, and internalized by individuals in general as fact
(Nurhadi, 2015: 123). From this definition we are invited to understand the basic concepts on every issue discussed.
Discussing about the online artists prostitution, it means that we have to understand the complexities of the
definition of reality to the three main concepts of this problem, namely the concept of prostitution, artists and online.
Only then framed these three case studies focusing tobe discussed this time.
The first concept, prostitution. Prostitution is a sexual intercourse with multiple partners who were not his
wife or her husband, who performed in particular places (localization, hotels, recreation areas and others), which in
general they get the money after the act of intercourse (Goddess of 2012 : 81). The vendors themselves are often
called WTS (women prostitutes). They are the women who do not have the moral (manners, morals, decency).
Customers are being called masher, namely the sex customers who squander their money for the sake of satisfying
the lust. Localization complex called prostitution or event gathered in doing sexnya party. The person who holds the
prostitutes and johns in the sex transaction called pimps. This is the guy who strongly supports the implementation
of the immoral party. He gets rewards from the prostitutes of earnings, a percentage.
The second concept, the artist. An artist is someone who creates something that the community is
recognized as art, among other music, poetry, painting, sculpture, films, and others (Anita, 2013: 461). Anita

research results (2013) reveal that there are certain processes that must be passed by person until he can be called an
artist. The following is the scheme process of the relation between artists and film in Indonesia, namely:
P s ik o lo g i

K e lu a r g a
C a s t in g

C a lo n A r tis
Lom ba

S o s io lo g i

F i lm

R um ah
P ro d u k s i

Y o u tu b e

P R O D U K S I (1 )

P R O D U K S I (2 )

P r o s e s D e s a in

P ro s e s M a n u fa k tu r

+ P re s ta s i

FTV

A r tis
S in e t r o n
P r o g r. T V

D IS T R IB U S I
P ro d u k S e n i

- G o s ip

KO NSUM SI
K o n s is t e n s i M e d ia

Figure 2. Schematic Process of the Relations between Artists and Film in Indonesia (Anita, 2013: 463)
From the above scheme it is understood that the psychological aspect which is believed that come from the
internal and external aspects of the sociology of the artist as a candidate Zolberg study (1990) became the basis that
motivates someone to become an artist that researchers put in the production phase (1). Stage Production (2) the
stage where the candidate was struggling artist into the entertainment industry or production houses, namely the
family, casting, race, and Youtube. Four classifications then, that the film, FTV, soap operas and TV program
distribution stage show which meant the presence of a variety of products as a distribution media artist aspiring
talent to be known audience. After the first distribution stage, the stage of consumption became unified effort
between the artist himself with the media. For artists who positively assess his profession and he will continue
working at the same achievement to prove the quality of existence in the world of acting. But for the artist 'instant
results', the lack of achievement in events awards were held and only appeared in the media for sensational gossip is
real evidence if he considered negative profession. Pointed out that the artists involved in the circle of online
prostitution artists are those artists who fall into this last category.
Then, the third concept is online. Understanding online is a state computer connected / connected to the
Internet. So if your computer is online, it can access the Internet or seek information on the Internet. From this
understanding, it can be understood that online is a condition in which the meeting between the two parties or the
transaction is not carried out directly or face to face. Involving the media as tools (computers, laptops, mobile
phones, tabs) and a mobile communication network or the Internet as an intermediary condition before the
transaction is directed.
From those three basic concepts, there are differences that occur when all three are combined, especially
when it is focused to look at the particular case. The review is based on the news that was published by Sriwijaya
Post in cases of online prostitution artist in the period of Sunday-Thursday, 10 to 14 May 2015 found that the
concept of prostitution was included in the top class level. With WTS derived from the artists, pimps set a price
between USD 80 - USD 200 million per date (short time). They also do not use localization as a transaction, but the
online negotiations, ie by means of fuel and whats App. Once deemed suitable, a new meeting was held between the
customer and pimp to make payments. Post-it, the masher can also check in with the artists their orders at luxury
hotels.

B.2. Symbolic Reality

After understanding the objective reality of online prostitution artist, the following is the analysis of
symbolic reality that focus on news published in print media Sriwijaya Post for 5 consecutive days, the SundayThursday, 10 to 14 May 2015. The symbolic understanding of reality itself are all symbolic expression of what is
experienced as "objective reality" of industrial products media such as text, such as news in print or electronic, so
anything that is in the films (Nurhadi, 2015: 123). From the analysis conducted by researchers, many symbolic
reality performed by Sriwijaya Post to make this case accepted 'excited' or 'bombastic' by society. This clearly
proves that the media has the power to play around in the level of social construction. The following table analyzes
the results of symbolic reality that has researchers has created on this case:
Table 1. Symbolic Reality "Artist Online Prostitution" in Sriwijaya Post
(Sunday-Thursday, 10-14 May 2015)
Day/Date
Title News
Page
Symbolic Reality
Sunday,
Dibayar Rp 80 Juta Lalu Lepas 1 and 7 In addition to the news, on page 1 Sriwijaya Post
May 10,
Busana
also provides online processing scheme
2015
prostitution artist with the title "Dilunasi Baru
Artis AA Bertarif Hingga Rp 200 Juta
Buka Kamar" with 7 steps.
Monday,
Itu Bukan Aku Inisial AA Banyak
1 and 7 In addition to the two bombastic headlines, on

May 11, Amel Alvi Tampil Bersama Cita

Citata
2015
Amel Alvi Sehari Layani Tiga Pria
Diejek Karena Payudara Besar
Nggak Serendah Itu

Tuesday,
Mucikari Artis AA Perias Palembang
May 12, Testimoni Robby Abbas
2015
Transaksi Pakai Istilah Arisan
Obbie Sebut AA Amel Alvi

Oddie Enggan Disebut Emak

AA adalah Amel Alvi!

Wednesday, Pelanggannya Pejabat Sumsel

May 13, Polisi Telisik Jejak Robby di
Palembang
2015
Ratu Mucikari Palembang Trauma
Thusrday,
Robby Menangis Tahu Orangtua
May 14,
Syok
2015
Keluarga di Palembang Belum Besuk
Mucikari Artis
Tak Punya Rekening

Artis Bandel
Marissa Enggan Menanggapi
Baby Margaretha Sering Diajak
Tidur Bareng

22

1 and 7

1 and 7

18

1 and 7

1 and 7

18

page 1 Sriwijaya Post also put pictures of Amel

Alvi red dress with sexy poses that show off her
thighs.
Offsetting news page 1, on page 22, Sriwijaya
Post add Rubric Celeb Life Style with two titles
sarcasm and photos that highlight Duo Srigala
with their breasts.
Became headline news and Sriwijaya Post
exaggerate because it is known that Robby Abbas
came from Palembang.
Retrieving data which should off the record of
tabloidnova.com, Sriwijaya Post initials AA
ensure that it is Amel Alvi.
Supports headline news, Sriwijaya Post adds
rubric Gosipi on page 18 and returned to tell the
artist online prostitution conducted Oddie
(pimping) and Amel Alvi (artist prostitution).
Sriwijaya Post tried associate the events of
prostitution in Jakarta to Palembang when this
news is news with a completely different event.
In addition to the two headlines, Sriwijaya Post
also added a quote comment artist who is
considered an alleged prostitution artists entitled
"What They Say", namely Vicky Shu, Catherine
Wilson, Bella Shofie and Baby Margaretha. Also
there Artis Dating Rates Table 17 initials
containing the name of the artist prostitution
charge.
Adding news headlines, Sriwijaya Post presents
rubric Celeb Life Style with themes about the
artist comments on prostitution artist online.
Three artists appointed as the originator of
opinion with diverse viewpoints, namely Maia
Estianty, Marissa Nasution, and Baby
Margaretha.

B.3. Subjective Reality

The third stage of the process is the social construction of subjective reality. Subjective definitions of
reality are constructions of reality definition of the individual and it is constructed through a process of
internalization (Nurhadi, 2015: 124). The subjective reality of each individual is the basis for engaging in the
process of externalization, or the process of social interaction with other people in a social structure. Through the
externalization process that individuals are collectively potentially objectified, objective reality raises new
construction. From this understanding, researchers will take some of the findings in the symbolic reality to be
studied in more depth in this section to then linking the communication of ethical issues.
Communication ethics focus on the study itself comes as a result of the relationship between the media
(journalists) to readers. How to lift the mass media, framing, and planning it, no doubt will provide meaningful input
in the minds of viewers, listeners, and readers medium. The phenomenon of the artist's life is lifted to the surface
through the mass media itself at it is not a new case. Indeed, reading the artist's life-imagined world community as
sparkling, full of beauty, and a wealth of material-is very interesting. Moreover, one of the functions of the media is
also to provide entertainment to the public. However, if the news about online prostitution artists are also included in
the category of entertainment?
Haryanto (2006: 30) said that lest all this news just arguments used by media to benefit from rumor life of
the artist, the artist throws gimmick, in order to continue to be able to write or broadcast anything from the world.

The media should be able to tell which are of public interest and which personal interests. And for that, media
should be able to prioritize the public interest rather than private interests of the media.
As happened in the news of online prostitution artist at Sriwijaya Post, that for five consecutive days,
Sriwijaya Post very intense preaching this case. Without any official statement from the police, the media dared to
claim that it is the artist's initials AA Amel Alvi only based on the testimony of RA that slipped out. The most severe
action is to display photos Amel Alvi is so sexy with two titles were 'misleading'.

Figure 3. Amel Alvi Serve A Day by Three Men (Sriwijaya Post, Monday, 11/05/2015)
From Figure 3 it shows how Sriwijaya Post as if confirming that Amel Alvi is the artist who was involved
in online prostitution artist cases. The reality is the result of creative human creation, in this case journalists of
Sriwijaya Post, through the power of the social construction of the social world around them. They then set its
images, headlines, and the layout is interesting that for readers who do not read untill finish will gain straying over
the news that appears.

Figure 4. What They Say and The Register Rates Dating Artist (Sriwijaya Post on Wednesday. 05/13/2015)
From Figure 4, Sriwijaya Post also displayed a list of artists dating rates with bombastic prices
accompanied by some comments with the initials of the name in the list. From this news, as if the reader is invited to
suspect that they are the perpetrators. Though the police themselves have never publish the names of artists who
allegedly entered the collection name WTS 200 owned by pimps RA.

Figure 5. New Repaid Then Open Room (Sriwijaya Post, Sunday, 10/05/2015)
As the results analysis of the social construction of reality about the news of online prostitution artist
conducted by Sriwijaya Post for five days, Sunday-Thursday, 10-14 / 5/2015 was discovered that the main news
occurs only in the first news that appeared on the Sunday, May 10, 2015 as illustrated in Figure 5 above. The rest is
the development of the first day of mixed news in 'intelligent' by Sriwijaya Post. The most alarming news is the last

day, Thursday, 05.14.2015 where in fact there is no connection at all between the A and B. But the headline of
clientele Sumsel officials deliberately subtitled that Robby Police search for Traces in Palembang so that readers
bring up feelings how great artists prostitution mafia network that carried out by suspected pimps RA in this country.
From the presentation of research findings, it concerning the construction of social reality in a case of
online prostitution artist at Sriwijaya Post above, it can be analyzed that there has been an invasion of privacy by the
media. As said by Louis Alvin Day in ETICS Media Communication (Mufid, 2010: 188-189), that the invasion of
privacy by the media covers a broad spectrum, ranging from reporter to advertisers. In the media competition
conditions are more stringent, the invasion process is unavoidable. Including the Sriwijaya Post, that deliberately
take the case of online prostitution artists to perform construction on the meaning of the reader to the
professionalism of artists who are vulnerable to abuse profession to violate moral decency.

C. CONCLUSION
Assessment on the construction of social reality of online prostitution artist, again asking readers, viewers,
and listeners media to conduct media literacy on their consumption behavior towards the media. That messages are
delivered not just as a phenomenon, but as an icon of the social construction of meaning that had been there in the
community. Artists is a person whose life is not far from trending topic and the news art either. Therefore, the
journalists should work harder so that the data actually obtained from sources are valid and can be accounted for
truth.
Communication ethics must be able to distinguish between matters of privacy and public affairs. Society
itself can not always say that it has become a risk for artist or public figure to have no privacy because however the
artist has a right to have their privacy regarding personal affairs. But when it comes to public affairs, it is clearly
seen that an artist can not avoid publicity efforts as part of the transparency of responsibility. The question then is
whether this news of online prostitution artists including privacy or the public sphere?
Finally, the researchers concluded that based on this study exposure, online prostitution artists case into the
public domain. But how the process of disclosure (revelation) of this case which later became the problem most of
the country's media, including Sriwijaya Post. Tendency of privacy is concealment, which is a scourge for media
that need the data for news. But that does not mean all kind of ways to display news bombastic and injure the truth
of the news itself.

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About Writers
Sumarni Bayu Anita, S. Sos, MA graduate S1 Social Communication Sciences Sebelas Maret University in 2007 and S2 Culture
and Media Studies at Gadjah Mada University in 2012. Lecturer of Communication Science School of Social and Political
Sciences (STISIPOL) Candradimuka Palembang since 2012 and served as Secretary of the Department of Communication Studies
since 2013. She has been followed seven times call for papers of communication, namely in Palembang, Bali, Jakarta, Padang,
Batam, Surabaya and Lombok. Describing the author of book Pempek Palembang (2014). She has written articles in several
journals. You can read her writings simply by accessing nitastory.blogspot.com.

Dr. Hj. Lishapsari Prihatini, M.Si, Chairman STISIPOL Candradimuka Palembang. Finish S2 and S3 in Communication Science
University of Padjadjaran Bandung. Born in Palembang, December 10, 1968. She stay in Kampus Blok B12 Rt. 23 Rw. 07
Palembang.