Public relations officers annoyed by bogus journalists<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Several public relations officers have lodged complaints with
\nthe Press Council over the unrestrained activities of hundreds of
\nbogus journalists, who attempt to intimidate professionals for
\nmoney.<\/p>\n
The complaints were raised in a meeting attended by
\njournalists and representatives of press organizations, public
\nrelations companies and other public groups on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"Their acts have become increasingly annoying. Like ordinary
\njournalists, the bogus reporters also interview their targets,
\nincluding legislators, and conclude by asking for money," said
\nEdi Siregar, a spokesman for the secretariat of the House of
\nRepresentatives\/People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Edi explained that it was not very difficult to differentiate
\nbetween real journalists and false ones, commonly referred to as
\nWTS (journalists without newspapers), as the latters' actions
\nwere primarily aimed at intimidating the legislators.<\/p>\n
Edi said the group of bogus journalists once accused him of
\ncorruption involving funds valued at Rp 5 billion (US$500,000)
\nbecause he refused to 'cooperate' with them.<\/p>\n
"I therefore advise our fellow public relations officers not
\nto be afraid of their threats. If we are, we can easily fall
\nvictim to them," he said.<\/p>\n
Similar complaints on blackmailing were raised by public
\nrelations officers from the National Police Headquarters and the
\nMinistry of Industry and Trade.<\/p>\n
Hartono, head of the publication and mass media section at the
\nMinistry of Industry and Trade, said that when his minister
\nattended a hearing with the legislators, his team was forced to
\nask a security officer to accompany them in order to get rid of
\nthe bogus journalists.<\/p>\n
"Because they frequently use a physical approach, we also have
\nhad to respond physically with the help of a security officer,"
\nHartono told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Leo Batubara, the deputy head of the Press Council's public
\ncomplaints commission, admitted that, in addition to reports
\nabout the bogus journalists, his council had also received a
\nnumber of complaints from the public regarding the behavior of
\nordinary journalists.<\/p>\n
As an example, he referred to the cancellation of a press
\nconference by a publicly listed company in Surabaya on July 26,
\nafter 75 journalists, who were not invited to the event, flocked
\nto the meeting.<\/p>\n
They intimidated the company's public relations officers,
\naccusing the company of violating the press laws.<\/p>\n
"The freedom of the press and journalists' credibility have
\nlong been a public concern because of the operation of illegal
\npublications and abuses within the journalism profession," the
\nPress Council said in a statement.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-relations-officers-annoyed-by-bogus-journalists-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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