BUSINESS INFO - Tempo.co has started a “login wall” policy to read content on its digital platforms. Under this policy, each reader will be asked to create an account or log in with an email address before accessing Tempo content.
Logging in to Tempo is free. This policy isn't a new paywall, but rather a first step toward rebuilding a direct relationship between Tempo and its readers.
For years, the relationship between media and readers has become increasingly dependent on digital platforms. Search engines, social media, aggregators, and now artificial intelligence services have become the primary gateways for the public to find information. In such distribution models, reader data is stored on the platform and not shared with publishers. Media outlets simply receive traffic, without truly knowing who their readers are, what their needs are, what issues they consider important, and what type of journalism keeps them coming back.
As a result, the relationship between editors and readers has become increasingly strained. Direct traffic to media sites continues to decline, while platforms increasingly play a dominant role in determining the distribution, reach, influence, and ultimately the sustainability of independent media businesses.
This login wall policy is Tempo's attempt to repair this fractured relationship.
"Healthy journalism requires a direct relationship between the editorial team and its readers. We need to know Tempo's readers so we can present more relevant, useful, and tailored information to their needs. The login wall is the first step in rebuilding that relationship," said Wahyu Dhyatmika, CEO of Tempo Digital.
"With the login wall, Tempo's editorial team will understand readers' information needs through their preferences, allowing our coverage to be more targeted and focused on serving readers' needs for healthy, quality reading. This is part of Tempo's endeavor to fulfill its press duty as a public servant," said Bagja Hidayat, Tempo's Editor-in-Chief.
Identifying readers to serve broader information needs
An update to Tempo's editorial strategy will accompany the login wall. The goal is not simply to ask readers to provide their email addresses, but also to ensure that Tempo's reporting truly meets readers' needs.
For a long time, the media industry has tended to focus too heavily on one type of information need: updating—providing readers with the latest information as quickly as possible. However, readers need more than just the latest news. They need explanations, context, references, inspiration, guidance, connections with their communities, and information that helps them make decisions and take action.
Within the user needs framework, journalism isn't just about reporting what's happening and what's trending. It must also explain why something matters, who the actors behind an event are, what its impact is on the public, what options are available, and how citizens can understand and respond to issues that affect their lives.
By logging in to Tempo, readers' information needs can be better served. Tempo's editorial team can create a more personalized and meaningful reading experience. Tempo understands what issues readers follow, what types of news they need, and the information formats that are most useful to them. This data will help the editorial, product, and marketing team work more effectively to build long-term relationships with readers.
The benefits for readers are also clear. Readers who are logged in can save news items that they want to bookmark. They also have access to freemium news, namely premium Tempo Plus articles, which are occasionally made free. The editorial team will also regularly send newsletters containing news packages tailored to readers' preferences. Our team is currently developing other exciting features and programs.
Personal data is managed professionally
Tempo affirms that logging in to Tempo is free. Readers simply need to use their email address to create an account or log in to the Tempo system.
Reader data will be managed in accordance with personal data protection principles. Tempo will comply with the provisions of the Personal Data Protection Law and implement secure, proportional, and responsible data governance.
Tempo will not treat reader data as a commodity to be traded carelessly. Reader data will be used to improve services, increase news relevance, enhance the user experience, and build a better relationship between the editorial team and the audience.
Response to AI disruption
Tempo acknowledged that AI disruption has accelerated the urgency of implementing this policy.
In the past year, traffic from platforms to media sites has declined sharply. Changes in search engine algorithms and the advent of AI-powered automatic summaries have changed user access habits. The platform now directly presents much media information in summarized form, eliminating the need for users to visit publisher sites.
This situation has a direct impact on the media business model, which has traditionally relied on traffic and advertising revenue. When readers no longer visit media sites, publishers lose traffic, audience data, opportunities to build loyalty, and a significant portion of the revenue stream that sustains journalism production.
To respond to these changes, Tempo has taken several steps. In addition to implementing a login wall, starting July 1, 2026, Tempo has blocked AI crawler bots that harvest content without permission. The company is also providing an official pathway for AI companies that want to access Tempo content. This pathway uses OpenMined, an open technology.
Through this approach, Tempo aims to prevent AI systems from harvesting journalistic content without proper consent and compensation. At the same time, AI companies can still legally access quality content through transparent and measurable mechanisms.
Back to “khitah”: living media from readers
Tempo doesn't view the login wall as anything special. From the beginning, quality journalism has always been more independent and trustworthy when it has a direct relationship with its readers.
In the past, readers purchased newspapers and magazines to obtain information. Through these purchases, readers contributed to the editorial work. This economic relationship provided the media with a foundation of independence to serve the public interest, rather than simply being subject to the interests of advertisers, platforms, or power.
In the digital age, that relationship needs to be rebuilt in new ways. The digital subscription business model, supported by products like newsletters, community activations, and online discussion forums, is part of the effort to restore the direct relationship between editors and the public.
Tempo believes that the future of independent media cannot be entirely left to platform algorithms. To survive, media outlets must reconnect with their readers, serve their information needs, and gain direct support from audiences who believe in the essential value of journalism for democracy and a healthy, credible information ecosystem.
Only by living off readers can the media maintain its dignity. Only with public support can journalism continue to fulfill its primary duties: checking power, exposing abuses, explaining public issues, and serving the interests of citizens.
"The login wall is just a gateway. The ultimate goal is to rebuild trust, closeness, and commitment between Tempo and its readers. We want readers to not just visit occasionally, but to return to Tempo as their trusted source of information," said Wahyu Dhyatmika.
