About the Journal

Wicitra: Media and Communication Journal is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Program Studi Produksi Media. The journal provides an academic platform for the publication and dissemination of original research in media, communication, and cultural studies. Wicitra is committed to strengthening scholarly discourse and advancing research development at national and international levels.

Focus and Scope

Wicitra publishes original research articles, conceptual papers, and practice-based research in the areas of:

Media production and creative industries
Journalism and digital storytelling
Communication and public discourse
Media and cultural studies
Digital media, platforms, and emerging technologies
Visual communication and design
Audience and reception studies
Artificial intelligence in media
Media literacy and communication strategy

The journal encourages interdisciplinary approaches and research integrating theoretical analysis with media practice and cultural contexts.

Peer Review Process

Wicitra maintains the standards of peer review while increasing the efficiency of the process. Every manuscript that goes to the chief editor will be sent to the section editor through the Initial Review processes to check the technical aspects. Then, the manuscript will be sent to at least two peer reviewers to get the Double-Blind Peer Review Process. The peer reviewers will rate each manuscript on the substantial aspects. Each reviewer is required to make an initial decision by selecting the option below:

Accept Submission: the manuscript meets the standard and is ready for further process of publication.
Revisions Required: Minor revision (can be re-reviewed by the referee or accepted by the editor).
Resubmit for Review: Major revision (need more round peer-review process)
Resubmit Elsewhere: It doesn’t seem like a fit for the focus and journal scope.
Decline or Reject Submission: Reject the submission due to many weaknesses and out-of-journal standards.

Then, if there are revisions, the manuscript will be returned to the author for revision. All these processes take 4 (four) months, hopefully. The peer reviewers have expertise in television studies, film studies, communication strategies in the field of television and film, communication models used in the field of television and film, the study of media texts in television programs and film, marketing studies on television and film, and management studies on television and film. They were also experienced in prestigious journal management, and publication spread nationally and abroad. All publication decisions are made by the journals’ Editors-in-Chief based on the reviews and peer-reviewers recommendations provided. Wicitra will publish the selected papers under a CC BY 4.0.

Publication Frequency

Wicitra is published twice a year, in May and November, ensuring a consistent and sustainable publication schedule.

Open Access Policy

Wicitra adopts a full open access policy. All published articles are freely available online immediately upon publication to support the broad dissemination of knowledge without subscription barriers.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors who publish in Wicitra: Media and Communication Journal retain the copyright of their work. All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).

This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly cited. Users may share and adapt the material for any purpose, including commercial use, with appropriate attribution.

The author grants the journal the right of first publication and the non-exclusive right to distribute the published version of the work.

Publication Ethics

Wicitra adheres to established standards of publication ethics and best practices in scholarly publishing. The journal is committed to maintaining academic integrity, transparency, and accountability throughout the editorial and publication process.

All submitted manuscripts are screened using iThenticate plagiarism detection software prior to peer review. Wicitra applies a maximum similarity threshold of 15% overall similarity index, excluding properly cited quotations, references, and standard methodological phrases.

Manuscripts exceeding this threshold, or those indicating evidence of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, or improper citation, will be rejected or returned to the author for revision and clarification in accordance with the journal’s ethical policies.

Wicitra upholds ethical principles concerning authorship, originality, data integrity, proper citation practices, and conflict of interest disclosure. Authors must ensure that their submissions are original works, have not been published previously, and are not under consideration elsewhere.

Editors and reviewers are expected to evaluate manuscripts objectively, maintain confidentiality, and disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions: The Editor-in-Chief of Wicitra is responsible for deciding which submitted manuscripts should be published. Decisions are based on the manuscript’s originality, scholarly contribution, methodological rigor, and relevance to the journal’s focus and scope. Editorial decisions are guided by the journal’s policies and are subject to applicable legal requirements concerning defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. Editors may consult with other editors or reviewers in making publication decisions.
Peer Review: The editor ensures that the peer review process is fair, unbiased, and timely. All research articles are reviewed by at least two independent and external reviewers under a double-blind review system. Additional reviewers may be consulted if necessary. Reviewers are selected based on expertise, while ensuring inclusive and diverse representation. The editor avoids the selection of fraudulent reviewers and evaluates any potential conflicts of interest disclosed by reviewers.
Process Control: Each submitted manuscript is initially evaluated by the editor for relevance and originality. All manuscripts are screened using iThenticate plagiarism detection software, applying a maximum similarity threshold of 15%, excluding properly cited references and quotations. Manuscripts that pass this screening proceed to double-blind peer review. Reviewers are generally given up to 21 days to complete their evaluation, with a maximum review period of six weeks.
Fair Play: Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on intellectual merit without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy. Editorial board appointments consider appropriate, inclusive, and diverse representation.
Journal Metrics Integrity: Editors will not attempt to manipulate journal metrics or citation indicators. Authors are not required to cite articles from Wicitra or from the editors’ own work unless genuinely relevant for scholarly reasons.
Confidentiality: Editors and editorial board members must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents. Information about a manuscript may only be disclosed to corresponding authors, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher as appropriate. Unpublished materials must not be used in an editor’s own research without written consent from the author.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Editors must declare any potential conflicts of interest. Editors will not participate in decisions regarding manuscripts they have authored or that involve close colleagues or family members. Such submissions will undergo independent peer review managed by another qualified editor.
Vigilance over the Published Record: The editor works to safeguard the integrity of the published record. Allegations of misconduct will be investigated in cooperation with the publisher. Corrections, clarifications, or retractions will be issued when necessary.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer reviewers assist editors in making publication decisions and may provide constructive feedback to help authors improve their manuscripts.
Promptness: Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to complete a review within the designated timeframe must notify the editor promptly and decline the invitation.
Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be shared or discussed without authorization from the editor.
Standards of Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Reviewers should provide clear, reasoned, and evidence-based evaluations.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and decline to review manuscripts where such conflicts exist. Confidential information obtained during peer review must not be used for personal advantage.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and alert the editor to substantial similarities between the submitted manuscript and other known works.
Ethical Vigilance: Reviewers should report any suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, unethical research practices, or significant overlap with previously published works.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards: Authors must present accurate and original research findings. The manuscript should provide sufficient detail and references to allow replication where appropriate. Fabrication, falsification, or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.
Data Access and Retention: Authors may be requested to provide underlying data for editorial review and should retain research data for at least ten years after publication, when feasible and in accordance with ethical and legal standards.
Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original. Proper citation and acknowledgment of sources are required. All submissions are screened using iThenticate with a 15% similarity threshold.
Multiple or Redundant Publication: Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Publishing substantially similar research in multiple journals is considered unethical.
Authorship: Authorship should reflect significant contributions to the research. All co-authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to its submission.
Ethical Considerations: Research involving human participants, animals, or hazardous materials must clearly state ethical approval where applicable.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that may influence their research.
Corrections: If a significant error is discovered after publication, authors must promptly notify the editor and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions.

Duties of the Publisher

Handling Unethical Publishing Behavior: In cases of alleged misconduct, plagiarism, or fraudulent publication, the publisher will collaborate with the editors to investigate and take appropriate action, including correction, clarification, or retraction when necessary.
Access and Archiving: The publisher is committed to ensuring the permanent availability and preservation of published articles through digital archiving systems and long-term accessibility measures.
Editorial Independence: The publisher safeguards editorial independence. Commercial considerations, including advertising or sponsorship, will not influence editorial decisions.

Reference Management

All data, quotations, and ideas derived from other sources must be properly cited in the manuscript. Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of all references included in their submissions.

Wicitra requires authors to use Mendeley Reference Manager in preparing citations and bibliographies to ensure uniform formatting and referencing consistency.

The journal adopts the APA (American Psychological Association) 7th Edition citation and referencing style. All in-text citations and reference lists must strictly follow APA 7 guidelines as formatted through Mendeley.

Manuscripts that do not comply with the required referencing format may be returned to the authors for technical revision prior to the peer review process.

Sponsorship

Wicitra is managed and financially supported by Program Studi Produksi Media. The journal does not charge submission fees. Any future publication fees will be clearly stated on the journal website.

Privacy Statement

The names and email addresses entered on this journal site will be used exclusively for the purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy

In response to the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) and AI-driven technologies, Wicitra establishes this policy to ensure academic integrity, transparency, and ethical scholarly practices.

Generative AI refers to systems capable of producing new content such as text, images, or other media. AI-driven tools also include technologies used for data analysis, automation, and decision support. Wicitra recognizes the evolving role of AI in academic environments and will periodically review and update this policy as necessary.

For Authors

Wicitra does not permit the use of generative AI tools to produce substantial portions of manuscript content, including research analysis, interpretation, argument development, or original scholarly writing.

Authors may use AI tools in a limited capacity for language improvement, grammar checking, or paraphrasing support. However:
The use of AI-assisted writing must not exceed 20% similarity contribution, as assessed through plagiarism detection software. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work. Any use of AI tools must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript, typically in the acknowledgment section.
AI tools cannot be listed as authors, as authorship requires accountability and intellectual responsibility.

For Reviewers, Editors, Copy Editors, and Proofreaders

Manuscripts submitted to Wicitra are confidential documents. Reviewers, editors, copy editors, and proofreaders are strictly prohibited from uploading or sharing manuscript content with generative AI platforms or external AI-driven tools for the purposes of review, editing, or proofreading.

This restriction ensures the protection of intellectual property, confidentiality, and the integrity of the peer-review process.

Editorial Integrity

Wicitra supports the responsible use of technology that enhances editorial efficiency and publication quality, provided such use complies with confidentiality principles and ethical standards.

The journal reserves the right to revise this AI policy in accordance with evolving academic regulations and best practices in scholarly publishing.