On press law<\/p>\n
With regard to your article Government and the House in favor
\nof media restriction in The Jakarta Post of May 29, I must say
\nthat as an editor and journalist that the domestic press have
\nonly themselves to blame for any contemplated revisions of the
\npress law.<\/p>\n
Ignorance (a gross understatement) and dysfunction in the
\ndomestic press is at the root of the government response, and it
\nis to be expected. I think that government has shown admirable
\nrestraint in dealing with individuals and publications that churn
\nout an outlandish assortment of half-truths, innuendo and
\noutright lies while hiding behind the banner of freedom of the
\npress.<\/p>\n
They also have to realize that they have a responsibility to
\npublish the unvarnished truth according to our code of ethics.
\nUnfortunately, when ethics are brought up the response from the
\nvast majority of domestic journalists is a blank stare. They
\nsimply don't know or care that their irresponsible actions
\nendanger the entire press corps. This situation has to be
\naddressed from within -- and quickly, or the
\ngovernment will do it for us.<\/p>\n
I am not one to criticize without offering solutions, and very
\nbasic solutions at that. They are:<\/p>\n
* Root out corruption in our ranks, journalists who receive
\nbribes at \"envelope\" press conferences must be terminated --
\nimmediately and with prejudice, as there can be no credibility
\nwithin our ranks until this nefarious practice is exterminated,
\nroot and branch.<\/p>\n
* Publishers and editors must hold their reporters accountable
\nfor their sloppy work, and those who cannot be rehabilitated must
\nbe terminated.<\/p>\n
* Publishers and editors must make available to their reporters
\ninstruction in the tenets of journalism, and make this
\ninstruction compulsory for those that violate the code,
\nterminating repeat offenders.<\/p>\n
* The next generation of journalists must be taught in college by
\njournalists. There is simply no viable substitute.<\/p>\n
* The aggressive peer review must be standardized within the
\ndomestic press. Those that violate the code must be identified
\nand ostracized, effectively banned from the profession. It
\nhappens across America every day, and to be frank I fear the
\ncondemnation of my colleagues more than any publisher or editor.<\/p>\n
ROBERT S. FINNEGAN<\/p>\n
English Editor<\/p>\n
CAKRAM Magazine<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-press-law-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }