Media urged to inform public, leaders alike<\/p>\n
Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Tabanan, Bali<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie says that
\nincreased spending on consumptive goods over the past few years
\nhas meant huge profits for advertising firms.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the opening of the first Asia Pacific Media Forum
\n(APMF) on Monday, he said that while the impacts of the financial
\ncrisis of mid 1997 had been long-lasting, this had not stopped
\nmany people from purchasing luxury cars, designer clothing and
\nexpensive home appliances, among other goods.<\/p>\n
Such spending, he added, was the answer to why gross
\nadvertising expenditure in the country last year hit an all-time
\nhigh at around US$3 billion, second only to China.<\/p>\n
\"But we need to ensure that advertising communications are
\neffective to generate a justifiable return on investment for
\nadvertisers,\" Aburizal said.<\/p>\n
A recent survey by an advertising firm said ad expenditure
\nhere rose 32 percent to Rp 22.21 trillion (US$2.37 billion) last
\nyear, of which more than two-thirds went on television
\nadvertising. Expenditure is expected to increase by another 20
\npercent this year.<\/p>\n
The two-day forum, involving 300 participants from Asia-
\nPacific countries, is aimed at discussing the latest media and
\nadvertising challenges amid the rapid growth of media technology
\nand changing consumer habits.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Aburizal also highlighted the task of the media
\nto educate and influence the public on crucial issues. He pointed
\nto the ongoing dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia over the
\nAmbalat offshore oil field.<\/p>\n
\"The media must not make people emotional but soothe their
\nanger, so the dispute will not turn into an open conflict,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Anti-Malaysia groups in some cities here have opened
\nregistration for volunteers in the event that the dispute leads
\nto war, although the governments of the two countries have
\npledged to seek a peaceful solution.<\/p>\n
Aburizal said after the New Order regime, the media had played
\na prominent role, serving as a vehicle for intelligent public
\ndiscussion and policy criticism.<\/p>\n
\"Our politics are now more open, our society more plural, our
\neconomy more diverse and hence our media is finding new ways to
\ncope with it, while preserving its basic role as the fourth
\npillar of democracy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another keynote speaker at the forum, Jakob Oetama, CEO of
\nKompas Gramedia, said the change in consumer behavior was one of
\nthe significant impacts of globalization.<\/p>\n
\"We have to critically respond to it,\" he said. \"Globalization
\nhas good and bad sides. There are opportunities for members of
\nthe international community to know and understand one another
\nand to cooperate to build mutual understanding and solidarity.\"<\/p>\n
Jakob stressed the huge impact of the media on the life of
\npeople around the world. \"The dynamism of the media is a
\nphenomenon that has become increasingly globalized, simultaneous
\nand interactive in this 21st century.\"<\/p>\n
As an illustration, Jakob took the media's role in the
\naftermath of the Dec. 26 tsunami.<\/p>\n
The media -- ranging from television, radio, the Internet,
\nnews agencies and printed media -- around the world has been
\ncommitted to reporting on the situation in tsunami-stricken
\nareas. This effort has created humanitarian solidarity all over
\nthe world, he said.<\/p>\n
Jakob spoke positively about the increasing number of media
\norganizations since the reform era. Previously, in the Soeharto
\nera, there were only 289 dailies, but the number has skyrocketed
\nto around 1,600.<\/p>\n
However, the high number of printed media publications is not
\na good indication of their circulation, as TV and radio stations
\nnow dominate the industry, he added.<\/p>",
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