Public expects more from 'freed' press<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government's decision last week to eliminate
\npress bans has caused a surge in public expectations over the
\nroles the media should play in society.<\/p>\n
Communications expert M. Budyatna and political commentator
\nWimar Witoelar, interviewed separately Saturday and yesterday,
\nagreed the newfound freedom meant the media would have to be
\nmanaged even more professionally, and that it should facilitate
\neven further reform.<\/p>\n
Budhyatna, a professor at the University of Indonesia, said
\nthe media must keep their feet firmly planted on the ground
\nfollowing the revocation of the controversial regulation that
\nallowed the government to nullify the licenses of publications.<\/p>\n
\"The press must be even more responsible in their reports and
\nshould no longer give readers inaccurate stories,\" said the
\nformer dean of the university's school of social and political
\nsciences.<\/p>\n
He said now was the time for the Indonesian press to provide
\nbetter quality reporting and join the campaign to improve human
\nresources.<\/p>\n
He also said the press should uphold the principles of
\nintegrity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.<\/p>\n
\"The press should never voice the interests of certain
\nparties,\" Budhyatna said.<\/p>\n
Criticism must be accompanied by propositions, paving the way
\nfor \"solution journalism\", he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Wimar Witoelar said he now expected the press to
\nlead the people another step toward reform. The famed television
\ntalk show host, known for his in-depth interviews with prominent
\nindividuals, said the campaign for reform was now \"stuck\", halted
\nin the middle of nowhere.<\/p>\n
\"The press, given its integrity and access to diverse kinds of
\nsources, is the most prepared social institution to represent the
\npublic campaign for reform,\" he told the Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Wimar said the press should become \"a transparent and neutral
\nclearing house, a discourse center\" where the public could expect
\nit to exercise social control over the government on behalf of
\nthe people.<\/p>\n
He said the press should campaign for an \"immediate\"
\nextraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\nin order to \"get back the people's sovereignty from President
\nB.J. Habibie\".<\/p>\n
\"What Habibie has now is not the people's mandate, but (former
\npresident) Soeharto's mandate,\" he said, adding that the press'
\nnature of being part of people's daily lives gave it the role to
\ncampaign for the cause.<\/p>\n
According to Wimar, it is the press which can help bring back
\nthe momentum of reform \"that was lost\" when the public fell into
\neuphoria following the downfall of Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Wimar said the \"legitimacy crisis\" of Habibie's government
\ncould only be cured through an MPR extraordinary session,
\notherwise the crisis of confidence in the government would cause
\nthe country's economic crisis to worsen even further. (byg\/aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-expects-more-from-freed-press-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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