'CNN' defends gasses story<\/p>\n
We refer to Ambassador Agus Tarmidzi's letter published in The
\nJakarta Post on Dec. 31, 1997, entitled Inaccurate CNN report.<\/p>\n
I thank for your letter and would like to address your
\nconcerns.<\/p>\n
The report you saw on Dec. 10, 1997 was not on the \"haze\" nor
\nthe forest fires; it was on the gases released by the fires which
\nadded to the global greenhouse effect. The story was part of the
\nspecial CNN series on global warming centered around the Kyoto
\nConference.<\/p>\n
The only mention of the fires was in the first line which says
\nthe fires are still smoldering underground (coal and peat) and
\nthat even though they may have died down the problems are far
\nfrom over. The story then focused on the greenhouse gas effect
\nand its global implications.<\/p>\n
CNN's stories do not carry my personal opinions. They are
\nbased on facts and video of the actual sites. Until mid December,
\nour environmental unit was in East Kalimantan monitoring the
\nafter-effects of the fires. Until then, there were sporadic
\nsubterranean fires from coal and peat. In covering the fires (a
\nstory we stayed with for nearly six months) I had traveled
\nthrough Sumatra, Kalimantan, Malaysia, and Singapore -- most of
\nthe affected sites in southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
I can tell you that we take the utmost care to make sure our
\nfacts and information are accurate. Each sentence is carefully
\ncrafted because each story can only run about two minutes.<\/p>\n
By necessity we have to be straightforward -- leaving us
\nlittle room to address sensitivities and particular agendas. I
\nunderstand your concerns given the series of bad news that has
\nhit Indonesia in the past six months. I can only tell you that we
\nat CNN do our best to report the news accurately and fairly.<\/p>\n
I thank you for your interest. Please feel free to contact me
\ndirectly if you have any other concerns.<\/p>\n
MARIA A. RESSA<\/p>\n
Bureau Chief<\/p>\n
CNN Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cnn-defends-gasses-story-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }