TV team strive to put the bite in news<\/p>\n
By Edith Hartanto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Television journalism is a relatively new
\nprofession here, essentially ushered in with the advent of five
\nprivate TV stations since 1989. While print media employees often
\nneedle TV crews and say they have lot less to worry about with
\nonly a few minutes devoted to news items, behind-the-screen
\nanecdotes reveal the hectic reality.<\/p>\n
Those few minutes of reporting must be backed by engaging
\npictures, valid sources and objectivity. Reporters tell of the
\nhard but elementary lessons in learning the ropes.<\/p>\n
Hakim Poerba of Indosiar, 37, admits he was at first typical
\nof those starting their careers from print media: He was used to
\nworking alone.<\/p>\n
One day he was covering the lawsuit of ousted Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri against her rival
\nSoerjadi at the Central Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
\"I met my old friends. I was busy gathering materials and at
\nnoon I realized I had lost my cameraman.\" Back at the office,
\ncolleagues laughed at him. \"From then on, I learned that, like it
\nor not, the reporter and the cameraman are a team.\"<\/p>\n
Others describe how a TV reporter is only as good as his
\nequipment.<\/p>\n
Bob Wardhana of SCTV forgot his mike when he was hurrying to
\ncover a preview of Schlinder's List at the Teater Utan Kayu in
\nEast Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Once, when Bob was scheduled to do a story on PAM Jaya, the
\ncity-owned water company, he arrived to find the cameraman had
\nforgotten the video tape.<\/p>\n
\"The official said he only had five minutes. It was impossible
\nfor us to go back to the office to get the tape. At the end, we
\nmissed the story. That's what distinguishes TV from print media.
\nTV needs the moment. If you miss it, you lose it.\"<\/p>\n
Once a source has agreed to be on television, he or she is
\nprobably aware that the footage will be substantially edited.
\nBut there are times when extenuating circumstances mean the
\nmaterial will never make it to the small screen.<\/p>\n
Eko Saputra, an ANteve cameraman, was recording an interview
\nwhen suddenly the battery ran out. \"I signaled to the reporter.
\nBut we kept on pretending to record it as we did not want to
\nupset the source.\"<\/p>\n
Waiting with the heavy camera is the lousiest part of the job,
\nhe said. \"It has to stick with me like glue.\"<\/p>\n
But the flip side is worse. Recently, a very unfortunate
\ncameraman who left his equipment for a minute in his car returned
\nto find it had vanished.<\/p>\n
Chickenpox<\/p>\n
And, yes, looks are important. Makroen Sanjaya, chief editor
\nof SCTV's crime and legal news department, said he thought his
\ncareer was over when he suffered from a bout of chicken pox for
\nfour months.<\/p>\n
\"I went from doctors to healers to get rid of the pockmarks
\nleft all over my body, especially my face. Well, I was scolded by
\nmy doctor because I kept on working and refused to get some
\nrest.\"<\/p>\n
TV van drivers play their own essential role in getting the
\ncrew to the story on time.<\/p>\n
The then national police chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo frequently
\nteased TV journalists, saying that SCTV and ANteve crews had
\namong the highest number of traffic violations in the city.<\/p>\n
\"Well, we can't help it, sometimes we have to beat congestion
\nto reach the scene on time,\" quipped Irwansyah from SCTV.<\/p>\n
Deden Kuswondo of RCTI cites a memorable experience when
\ncovering a story in 1994 about the Marines' trip to Pantai
\nSwarangan, South Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
\"Yaskur (the cameraman) and I had sailed in the Teluk Banten
\narmored ship for eight days. We ate vegetables every day... and
\nthe strange thing was that the meal was always bland.\"<\/p>\n
Curious, Deden looked for the kitchen. \"When I opened the
\ndoor, I saw a group of muscular privates chopping the vegetables
\nwith machetes on planks of wood.<\/p>\n
\"They were surprised to see me and I was also stunned. A few
\nmoments later they barked 'Get lost!', and scared me off, waving
\nthe machetes. Well, no wonder the meal was tasteless.\"<\/p>\n
Despite the stress and snafus, TV crews say the job is
\nthrilling. \"At least in this profession we're always young at
\nheart,\" said Poerba.<\/p>",
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