Can the Indonesian press be impartial?

Can the Indonesian press be impartial?

JAKARTA (JP): The ideal press is impartial. However, many
factors prevent the Indonesian press from exercising this
important quality. How neutral and objective is the Indonesian
press? The Jakarta Post interviewed readers of news publications
and journalists about the subject.

Andre Hehanusa, singer: The press should be balanced, which
means that they have to give equal coverage to both arguing
parties.

When the press corners some parties, it is obliged to give
them a chance to defend themselves or rehabilitate their names
through the concerned publication.

I have noticed that some Indonesian press publications have
followed this rule, but others break it for various reasons.

Sometimes the press doesn't care about the rule and exposes a
case for commercial reason only. The press profits from the case,
but doesn't help educate the public in the right way.

As a matter of fact, this does not only happen in Indonesia
but also elsewhere in the world. Anyway, the press consists of
human beings, who can make mistakes or become partial.

Actually, most people never avoid the press. They are just not
sure that the reporters will quote them correctly or whether they
will get the same coverage other parties do.

Aisyah Amini, legislator: The Indonesian press is the fighting
press. That does not mean it has to start a revolution, because
it is already over. What it has to do now is taking part in
promoting people's welfare, law and order and the unity of the
people.

The Indonesian press should also follow the Pancasila values,
instead of imitating the foreign press, which often intrudes into
the privacy of the public -- even peeps into their toilets.

The number of Indonesian publications has increased, but they
should always upgrade the quality of their human resources so
there is no such thing as trial by the press.

Norman Meoko, 31-year-old reporter at the Angkatan Bersenjata
daily: Journalists face obstacles in being impartial.

In the first place, there is the time constraint. Reporters
face a deadline everyday. Before the deadline, good reporters
always try to cover both sides, but they often fail to get to
their sources before the deadline. In such a situation, they
should deliver the unbalanced stories to the editors, promising
to cover the other side on the following day.

Secondly, the sources. Sometimes, reporters can get to the
sources but they refuse to comment. That causes unbalanced
stories.

Thirdly, the dishonesty of sources. Some sources do not speak
the truth, making the stories flawed.

Fourthly, the dishonesty of reporters. Many reporters
intentionally, for many reasons, cover only one party, giving no
chance to other parties to make statements.

But I believe there are still many reporters who are committed
to impartiality.

Each publication has its own policy or mission. The policy of
Pos Kota, for example, is different from the paper I work for
(Angkatan Bersenjata) or Republika. The policy to some extent
effects the newswriting. Each reporter must adjust themselves to
the policy. By doing so, however, they don't abandon impartiality
because before they join a paper they know its policy and are
willing to play by the rule.

Parni Hadi, chief editor of Republika, Secretary General of
the Indonesian Journalists Association: The press should be
intellectually intensive, capital intensive, labor intensive and
emotionally intensive. A perfect press has these elements.
Emotion has much to do with the press, especially if you believe
that journalism is the combination of art and science.

Can the press be impartial?

Well, that is just a theory. No. Anyhow, our ideology, our
political inclination, our environment and our background will
dictate us. The reports will be bias. We can try to minimize the
bias, but there is no report which is totally free from bias. You
can't avoid it. Because you know me, you won't be objective. This
will influence you, no matter how little.

The advent of business in the press world is not without
influence. But that does not mean that we should reject this.
Without capital and technology, the press can't develop. But as I
said earlier, that is not enough.

Professionalism is essential to diminish any bias.

A transparent environment is also required to reduce any bias.
This is important so that people will not wonder if this officer
is like this and that officer is like that. Because things are
not transparent, people can have a wrong idea about what really
happens.

August Parengkuan, Kompas' deputy chief editor and director of
the Jakarta chapter of the Confederation of ASEAN Journalists:

It is difficult to be impartial. It is impossible to become
absolutely objective. What we can do is ask for the opinions of
all parties when it comes to controversial topics.

But, somehow, the press is subjective.

The readers also expect the opinion of the publications. Facts
alone are not enough. They will not be satisfied if we just
present the facts. They want to know what your opinion is.

The 4W plus 1H (What, Where, When, Why and How) theory is
obsolete. They want more comprehensive reporting, in-depth
reporting. (jsk/sim)