Time for press to be criticized: Senior Journalists<\/p>\n
By Santi WE Soekanto<\/p>\n
MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): Senior journalists greeted with
\ngrace President Soeharto's criticism of the press in Indonesia
\nand its occasional tendency to overstep its boundaries.<\/p>\n
The president said that such infractions could place the
\nnation at risk and suggested that it was now the press' turn to
\nbe open to criticism.<\/p>\n
Jacob Oetama from Kompas daily, Albert Hasibuan of the Suara
\nPembaruan, and Sjamsul Basri of Suara Karya told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the criticism was timely and should be welcomed as an
\nopportunity for the press to engage in self introspection.<\/p>\n
In his speech at the National Press Day ceremony yesterday,
\nSoeharto urged the press not to sacrifice idealism for an
\nincreased readership.<\/p>\n
In the view of the three senior editors, the president's
\ncomments did not really address the questions of press freedom
\nand were more a criticism of the press' proclivity for the
\nsensationalized stories that today's readers crave.<\/p>\n
Sjamsul Basri said the criticism should be accepted with an
\nopen mind. \"The press is part of society and one of its functions
\nis to control other institutions in the society,\" he said. \"This
\nmeans that the press, too, should be open to criticism coming
\nfrom other parties\".<\/p>\n
\"When President Soeharto spoke about how the press sometimes
\ncrosses the line and creates unrest, I believe he meant
\nmatters ... such as obscenity, which attack a public sense of
\npropriety,\" Jacob said.<\/p>\n
\"The point is, the press doesn't have any option but to grow
\nas an industry...and, in this process, conflicts of interests are
\nbound to arise between the idealistic and commercial aspects of
\nthe press,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"This is not an 'either or' choice. We need both idealism and
\ncommercialism,\" Albert Hasibuan said. \"Capital does have an
\nimportant role in the press industry, but if capital is allowed
\nto run the whole show single-handedly, we'll end up with a
\nsterile press.\"<\/p>\n
Idealism<\/p>\n
Idealism should still be the main force in the development of
\nthe press, he said. \"We need skills, experience...idealism, to
\nimprove the quality of our press.\"<\/p>\n
Jacob and Hasibuan agreed that President Soeharto was likely
\nbeing critical of the press' coverage of domestic, social and
\npolitical development issues.<\/p>\n
\"Perhaps the press wants to go further in its coverage ... and
\ndemand more transparency. It wants to bare all ... but this is
\nnot responsible,\" Jacob said.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that the Indonesian press has a number of
\nlimitations and needs to balance freedom with responsibility.<\/p>\n
The discourse on press freedom and the responsibility of the
\npress to preserve national stability is long-standing, and has
\nnever been completely resolved. The government usually stresses
\nand calls on the \"responsible\" side of the press, while the press
\nitself struggles for more openness and room for its reporting.<\/p>\n
Last June, the government banned three major publications --
\nthe news magazines Tempo and Editor and the tabloid DeTik -- for
\nthe way they reported news events and for administrative
\nviolations.<\/p>\n
ASEAN<\/p>\n
The National Press Day celebration, which will last until
\nSunday, is also being attended by a number of journalists from
\nsome member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations. The Philippines, for instance, sent 15 journalists to
\ntake part in the activities.<\/p>\n
One of the delegates, Leonilo G. Claudio, editor-in-chief of
\nthe Daily Express in Davao City, has visited Indonesia four times
\nand has been observing developments in the Indonesian press.<\/p>\n
Regarding the press ban, he said, \"We have never had one in
\nthe Philippines, perhaps because we have a different system,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"In any case, the Philippine press has always been liberal and
\nwould resent such pressure,\" he said. \"But,\" he hastened to add,
\n\"if that is the way your country improves the quality of its
\npress, good luck.\"<\/p>",
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