Bogus journalists nurtured by corrupt officials<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Bogus journalism has thrived in this country for decades thanks
\nto rampant corruption<\/p>\n
Many press and public relations officials in government
\noffices and companies deliberately encourage the existence of
\nbogus journalists to ensure that their employers continue to
\nprovide funds to pay these unscrupulous characters off.<\/p>\n
Bogus journalists usually take an aggressive attitude during
\npress meetings and often push good news sources to the side with
\ntheir persistent or nonsensical questions. They only become quiet
\nafter receiving envelopes containing cash.<\/p>\n
In reality, many press officials secretly take some of the
\n\"press funds\" for themselves, leaving only a small amount of the
\nmoney for the bogus journalists.<\/p>\n
\"There wouldn't be any ants without sugar. Bogus journalists
\nwouldn't turn up if they knew we were not going to give them
\nenvelopes. Many firms have adopted a policy of giving envelopes
\nto journalists at the suggestion of their press officers, who
\nactually want to make money themselves from the policy,\" said
\nRyan, not his real name, a press officer with a medium-sized
\nprivate bank.<\/p>\n
According to Ryan, his department had decided to allow bogus
\njournalists to attend the company's events because most of his
\ncolleagues wanted to make \"extra money\".<\/p>\n
\"The company has decided to provide Rp 100,000 (about US$11)
\nfor each journalist, but we usually cut it to Rp 50,000. You can
\ncount yourself how much we get if there are, say, 300 journalists
\nattending one of our events,\" said Ryan.<\/p>\n
Aside from companies, bogus journalists also ask for money
\nfrom state institutions and offices, the police, public
\nprosecutors and members of the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Naryo -- not his real name -- a public relations officer with
\nthe Ministry of Transportation, said his ministry had always
\nallocated money for not only bogus journalists but also for real
\njournalists who were looking for extra money.<\/p>\n
\"If we don't play along with these bogus journalists, they
\nwill disrupt the working environment in our office. They will
\nkeep arriving in droves to disrupt our events and even our
\nday-to-day activities,\" said Naryo.<\/p>\n
Besides, Naryo said, a number of officials in the ministry
\nused their services to blackmail colleagues or officials in
\nstate-owned enterprises.<\/p>\n
\"Bogus journalists keep terrorizing corrupt officials. Once
\nthey get money from the corrupt officials, they share it with the
\nofficials who gave them the info about the corruption,\" said
\nNaryo.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Finance is among the few governmental offices
\nthat has managed to stamp out bogus journalism.<\/p>\n
\"It is easy to deal with such journalists. First, don't allocate
\nany money for them, and second, we should be brave enough to say
\nthat we don't provide envelopes or any other form of payments,\"
\nsaid Sofjan, a press officer at the ministry.<\/p>\n
Sofjan, who has been dealing with the press for 25 years as
\npart of his work at the ministry, recalled that the ministry used
\nto be invaded by hundreds of bogus journalists every time a new
\ndirector general of customs and excise was inaugurated.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bogus-journalists-nurtured-by-corrupt-officials-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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