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