From Journalism Studies to Social Media Officer at CNN Indonesia.com, UMN Alumna Reveals the Importance of Daring to Start!

Melinda Chang at work at the CNN Indonesia office. (Source: UMN)

Jakarta, Tuesday (30/06/2026) – The words “dare to take a step” may be easy to say, but they are not always easy to do. Nevertheless, for Melinda Chang, those words became an important guiding principle in building a career in the media industry.

“Don’t be afraid to try. Everyone has their first day in every journey of life, including their career. So don’t wait until you feel perfect. It is precisely from every opportunity you try that you will continue to learn and find the path that best suits you,” Melinda said.

About Melinda Chang

A brief introduction: Melinda Chang is an alumna of Universitas Multimedia Nusantara, class of 2017. She graduated from UMN’s Journalism study program, then worked at CNN Indonesia.com as a Social Media Officer for more than 2 years. Melinda also previously worked as a Senior Content Creator at Howel and Co and now works as a Personal Staff in government.

“My career journey has been quite dynamic. I started my career in the media industry as a Social Media Officer at CNN Indonesia. After that, I decided to try a new challenge by joining Howel & Co., a premium gifting brand in Indonesia. There, I had the opportunity to grow from Content Creator to Senior Content Creator in less than a year,” Melinda said.

So, how did she carry this guiding principle of daring to start into the working world? While working at CNNIndonesia.com, Melinda was one of the people entrusted with building CNN Indonesia’s social media account, @cnnidpolitik, specifically covering politics from scratch during the 2024 Election.

“The team and I built that media from 0 to reaching tens of thousands of followers in less than a year. From that, I learned that great opportunities often come in the form of responsibility, and the best results are always born from collaboration,” she recounted.

During her time at CNNIndonesia.com, Melinda also shared that speed and accuracy are key to working in the media industry. This is because the role of a social media officer is not just about uploading content on social media but also about ensuring that the information conveyed is accurate, engaging, and appropriate to each platform’s character.

How Did Studying at UMN Help Melinda Build Her Career?

Melinda Chang with the CNN Indonesia team while working as a Social Media Officer. (Source: UMN)

In addition, Melinda also shared that her experience studying at UMN played a significant role in her career. She said that almost all the courses she took influenced the way she works and complemented each other.

“The infographics course helped me understand visual basics, making it easier to collaborate with the design team. The news writing course provided the foundation for creating engaging copy that has news value and still follows language rules. Meanwhile, the Digital Fact Check course taught me always to verify information and be more sensitive to misinformation and disinformation that circulates widely on social media,” she explained.

Beyond the courses, another valuable lesson she gained was the importance of critical thinking, curiosity, and empathy.

“At UMN, I was taught not to accept information at face value immediately but to seek facts, verify, and look at an issue from various perspectives. Because I believe that behind every piece of information, there is a story and individuals that need to be understood, additionally, I also learned that conveying information must not only be accurate but also creative so that the audience can well receive the message,” she said.

“UMN doesn’t only equip students with the fundamentals of journalism but also multimedia and digital skills that are increasingly needed today. With this combination, graduates are expected not only to be able to adapt to change but also to contribute to presenting accurate, creative, and relevant information to the public,” Melinda added.

Melinda’s Message to Students

“Curiosity is the best asset in the media world. Don’t be afraid to start, because all great people were once beginners too. Keep learning, stay humble, and enjoy every process,” she said, closing the interview session.

You can see more about CNNIDPolitik at the following link.

By Wiena

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara. www.umn.ac.id