A word of gratitude<\/p>\n
Today The Jakarta Post celebrates its 14th anniversary.
\nLooking back on the past 14 years, we cannot help but be touched
\nby a deep sense of gratitude and pride that we have reached this
\npoint. There were often times where we had to go through
\nprecarious and depressing moments -- times which seemed to us
\nlike tests imposed on us by providence.<\/p>\n
For many years we have lived dangerously, fully aware that we
\nmay have to face more turbulent times. Without the public's trust
\nwe may never have reached this point. Without the public's
\nsupport -- the support of our readers and advertisers in
\nparticular -- we may not have been able to get through those
\nyears of struggle.<\/p>\n
It speaks for the wisdom and foresight of the Post's founders
\nthat, from the very beginning, this newspaper has strictly held
\non to the dictum that, to gain the public's trust, a newspaper
\nhas to prove its credibility and command the respect of the
\npublic. One cannot earn that respect without possessing
\nintegrity. To maintain that integrity, we have to constantly
\nadhere to our professional code of ethics. More importantly, we
\nhave to maintain our independent stance and be impartial and
\nnonpartisan in our reporting.<\/p>\n
Given all this, we can say with confidence that in the years
\nahead we will continue to strive to uphold those principles. We
\nknow that we still have many shortcomings to overcome, but we are
\nresolved to keep on trying to improve the quality of our
\nnewspaper. In years past, there were times when our independent
\nstance was questioned, and earned us a scolding by certain
\nparties. It seems that those who prefer to adopt a black-and-
\nwhite pattern of thinking find it hard to recognize that, in
\nreality, a newspaper has to be impartial in order to maintain its
\nintegrity.<\/p>\n
Stating this, however, does not mean that the Post does not
\ntake sides. We have a firm commitment to maintain the unity of
\nthis country and nation, and to strive for the betterment of our
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
For the past 30 years we have -- thanks to our national
\ndevelopment program -- witnessed the expanding dynamics of our
\nsociety. Needless to say, we remain strongly committed to
\nnurturing the growth of a healthy and responsible democracy in
\nthis country and toward the empowerment of the people. All this,
\nas we see it, is part of our civic duty to educate and enlighten
\nthe people.<\/p>\n
Empowering and enlightening the people is not only associated
\nwith the creation of a conducive atmosphere in which people can
\nmanifest themselves. It also means helping people know what their
\nconstitutional rights and duties are, and to instill a greater
\nawareness in the relevant aspects of our cultural, social,
\npolitical and economic life. This obviously requires that we
\ninform them of not only the bare, observable facts, but also of
\nthe hows and whys behind them. We think it natural that, in this
\nincreasingly complex world, a newspaper should also play a role
\nas a voice of reason to help the public distinguish between what
\nis ethically right and wrong; between what is good and bad, and
\nwhat is esthetically in good taste and what is not.<\/p>\n
One might say that in this world of free market enterprise,
\nwhere profit is the prime objective, too much idealism is
\nobsolete or old-fashioned. But we believe that not compromising
\none's integrity will never become obsolete or old-fashioned.
\nIndeed, in this present zaman edan (mad world) in which we live,
\nit is even more important for people to maintain their
\nsensibility.<\/p>\n
Again, it gives us reason for deep gratitude to observe that
\nwe have the public's support in this endeavor. The Post's growing
\ncirculation is evidence enough. From a mere 5,474 copies in May
\n1983, we reached an audited paid circulation of 44,049 in
\nDecember last year. Yesterday's paid circulation reached 49,939
\nand we are passing the 50,000 mark today. Again, without the
\npublic's trust -- your trust -- we would not have been able to
\ncome even close to this achievement.<\/p>\n
Still, there is no reason for us to be complacent. We are
\nstill far from our goal. There are still many shortcomings to be
\nremedied. Many ravines and mountains still have to be crossed.
\nAnd as we step into the 15th year of our existence and as we
\nstroll toward the new millennium, we realize that in the media
\nbusiness courage alone is not enough. One needs wisdom as well,
\nparticularly -- in our case -- the wisdom to recognize and accept
\nthat we live in a pluralistic society, that democratization is a
\nmust, and that getting there past all the obstacles is a grueling
\nprocess.<\/p>\n
With your continued support, we are confident that we will get
\nthere. Above all, we will always need your trust. Trust means
\nresponsibility, and it is our responsibility to deliver what our
\ntrusting readers expect from us: to provide them with
\ninformation which they have the right to receive, in a
\nresponsible, impartial and balanced way.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-word-of-gratitude-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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