Preaching, community, and convergence: Use of old and new media by progressive Indonesian Islamic leaders

Abstract

The role of religious leaders in countries with very large Muslim populations such as Indonesia continues to attract world attention. However, mainstream media often focus on fundamentalist Muslim clerics. What seems to be missing from these narratives is efforts by moderate Muslim leaders to thwart fundamentalism by improving their communication style and their use of media and technology in order to reach young people as well as the wider community. This article explores the communication approaches and methods favored by Indonesian Islamic leaders—including use of both conventional and cutting-edge technology—to communicate with their followers. Interviews with 10 Muslim leaders were conducted in order to better understand their rich experiences. Findings suggest that Islamic preachers have embraced new technology and new media to communicate with their followers and attract a younger audience.