Press told to put house in order<\/p>\n
SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): President Soeharto criticized
\nmembers of the Indonesian press yesterday for violating their own
\ncode of ethics, and called on media leaders to put their house in
\norder without government intervention.<\/p>\n
\"Recently, we are seeing the press violating their own ethics
\nmore frequently,\" Soeharto said in a speech to mark National
\nPress Day.<\/p>\n
\"Obviously, it would be better if every profession regulated
\nits own behavior in a responsible manner. This way the public or
\nthe government does not have to interfere in its affairs in
\nsafeguarding society, the people and the country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
This year's National Press Day is centered in Surakarta. It
\nwas here 50 years ago yesterday that a group of Indonesian
\njournalists founded the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI)
\nand used the organization to support the independence struggle
\nagainst the Dutch at the time.<\/p>\n
Their involvement gave the Indonesian press the nickname \"the
\nfighting press\".<\/p>\n
The festive mood yesterday was dampened by the President's
\ncriticism of the present day press in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said the public has been reading articles that violate the
\nprinciples in the code of ethics, which was written up and agreed
\nupon by journalists.<\/p>\n
\"For example, (we're reading) news articles that disregard
\nsense and propriety and news that is speculative in nature, all
\nof which could disrupt public peace.<\/p>\n
\"We are also concerned with articles, pictures and photographs
\nthat are misleading, confusing, sowing unrest, and not based on
\nfacts or are insulting the intelligence of the people.<\/p>\n
\"We are also finding articles that twist or blur facts, that
\nmix fact with opinions, are either detrimental for one party or
\nserve the interest of one party, and the violation of the
\npresumption of innocence principle.<\/p>\n
The President did not refer to any particular case.<\/p>\n
Some members of the Indonesian press came under fire in
\nDecember for the way they picked up and reported on a leaked
\ngovernment document, which contained various allegations of
\nmisconduct towards Minister of Transportation Haryanto
\nDhanutirto.<\/p>\n
Haryanto was subsequently cleared of all charges by President
\nSoeharto but the incident left a lingering debate, even within
\nthe PWI, about the behavior of the press. No one has so far been
\npunished.<\/p>\n
Besides the PWI, press behavior is also supervised by the
\nPress Council, which is comprised of government officials, press
\nexecutives and public figures.<\/p>\n
Licenses<\/p>\n
The government regulates the press by reserving the power to
\nissue publishing licenses, which can also be rescinded if it
\nbelieves a violation has been committed. The last closures were
\nin June 1994, when the government revoked the licenses of the
\nTempo, Editor and DeTik news magazines in one fell swoop.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said that as the PWI marks its 50 anniversary, the
\nassociation, along with the Press Publishers Union (SPS), should
\nstrive for greater professionalism, \"so that we will have a more
\nprofessional press all around.\"<\/p>\n
An exhibition by Indonesian press members was laid out in
\nSurakarta documenting 50 years of press progress and also its
\nanticipation of the 21st century.<\/p>\n
PT Pos Indonesia, the state-owned post office company, issued
\ncommemorative stamps in connection with PWI's anniversary.<\/p>\n
Minister of Information Harmoko, who was present at the
\nceremony, said there are 292 licensed press publications in
\nIndonesia today.<\/p>\n
Soeharto used his speech to warn the Indonesian press to
\nretain its identity in the globalization rush which is affecting
\nthe information and communication sectors.<\/p>\n
He said the Indonesian press must adapt, but that it must
\nretain its fighting press identity, and not go the way of the
\ninternational press, which he said has become a commercial press.<\/p>\n
\"The press industry must not transform into a battleground
\nbetween the various interests, from the journalists, publishers,
\nowners.\"<\/p>\n
\"Such press would no longer reflect the character of
\nIndonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He cautioned that any attempt at copying the \"global press\"
\nwould be futile because of the tough competition.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, himself a former journalist, emphasized that the main
\nrole of the Indonesian press now is to support the nation's
\ndevelopment program.<\/p>\n
\"Given this role, it is appropriate to give the predicate of
\ndevelopment press to the Indonesian press,\" he said. (har\/emb)<\/p>\n
Reaction -- Page 2<\/p>\n
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