'Gamma' weekly hits newsstands<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): New publication Gamma hit the stands on Monday
\nwith 140,000 copies, featuring an exclusive interview with Lt.
\nGen. (ret.) Prabowo, the former chief of the Army Strategic
\nReserves Command.<\/p>\n
Its management said it was optimistic despite several news
\nweeklies on the market already, citing experience with a couple
\nof leading national weeklies.<\/p>\n
Chief editor Herry Komar said that although the government had
\nissued licenses for 20 new news weeklies, among which \"less than
\n10\" could be considered contenders, he and his staff had
\nexperience in setting up and operating Tempo and Gatra.<\/p>\n
The latter two were mentioned as the most serious contenders,
\nwith Tempo's circulation now reaching 138,000 copies since it
\nresumed publication last year.<\/p>\n
Herry was deputy director at Tempo when it was banned in June
\n1994. It resumed publishing last October. Herry then became chief
\neditor of Gatra, set up in October 1994.<\/p>\n
Late last year trouble brewed at Gatra, which according to the
\nformer management was controlled by tycoon Mohammad \"Bob\" Hassan.
\nHerry was among management members dismissed by the board of
\ndirectors.<\/p>\n
In November, an exodus followed the dismissals in protest of
\nperceived intervention in editorial content by the owners, and
\nsome of Gatra's employees, including a number of reporters,
\njoined Gamma.<\/p>\n
\"We've had experience in building up two other magazines,
\nTempo and Gatra. So like the Greek words, (for us) alpha
\nrepresents Tempo, beta is Gatra and now we've establish Gamma,\"
\nHerry said.<\/p>\n
\"Many might think that the magazine's format is similar, such
\nas the red rectangular frame and the layout. It's a standard
\nimage of weekly magazines,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Gamma, with 16 colored pages, will sell for Rp 8,500.
\nInitially it is selling at a promotion price of Rp 5,000. The
\nweekly was set up with Rp 30 billion capital and is managed by PT
\nGarda Media Mandiri.<\/p>\n
Business manager Mahtum Mastoem said Rp 20 billion of the
\nmoney would be used first and the remainder would be used if the
\nbreak even point was not met within 10 months.<\/p>\n
The long-distance interview with Prabowo, who is in Jordan,
\nrevealed that Prabowo was disappointed that President B.J.
\nHabibie did not contact him for clarification before he publicly
\nremarked on the deployment of troops around Habibie's residence
\non May 22.<\/p>\n
Mahtum said Gamma's shareholders were all private individuals
\nwhile contributions came from friends. Shareholders are general
\nmanager Lukman Setiawan, an executive of the Fajar publishing
\ngroup Alwi Hamu, writer B. Kusuma and businessmen Ali Tanujaya
\nand Suryadi.<\/p>\n
\"Together they will distribute 25 percent of the total share
\nfor employees, journalists and agents,\" Mahtum added. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gamma-weekly-hits-newsstands-1447893297",
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