Fake journalists

Fake journalists

From Koran Tempo

It makes one feel sad, and it is disconcerting that some
journalists, especially those craving money (or known locally as
"money-envelope reporters") downgrade the credibility of
journalists in general.

As an actual example, I can refer to my own experience as the
committee chairman of a seminar on July 28, at Cafe Zanzibar,
Blok M, held by the students of Sekolah Tinggi Hukum Indonesia
(Indonesian College of Law) having the theme: "Law in the
perspective of culture and human rights", where I was the victim
of these money-extorting journalists.

In the middle of the program, a journalist claiming to
represent the Sinar Pagi Baru daily, made a request for money
while giving various reasons. Due to the busy schedule and hectic
pace of the event, I finally acquiesced to this.

To the others, who kept on chasing me, I retorted, "Aren't you
supposed to work as truly professional journalists? What you are
doing will certainly damage the reputation of the rest!"

I recall another so-called journalist from one of the
newspapers in Maluku (however he refused to reveal its name), who
even enticed me with guaranteed publication of the news on the
seminar at a certain rate. Upon my refusal, with an angry stare
he retorted, "I am not a brand-new journalist, you know. I've
been a senior journalist for over eleven years. Now how can you
have the heart to reject my request?"

To anyone who has ever been intimidated by these "refined
robbers", who always claim to guarantee media coverage, I advise
the following: they should immediately be reported to the
National Press Council, so that they can no longer operate and
will be ousted from an otherwise respectable community.

S. ALI

Jakarta