Jakob reflects on past, looks ahead

Jakob reflects on past, looks ahead

Kurniawan Hari and Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakob Oetama was born in Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, on
Sept. 27, 1931. He is the son of a retired teacher. His parents
wanted him to become a teacher and a Catholic priest.

After finishing senior high school in Yogyakarta in the 1950s,
he taught at a junior high school in Cipanas, West Java.

One year before finishing his university studies in history,
he took a position as an editor at the Penabur weekly in 1955.
With his colleague P.K. Ojong, in 1963 he started Intisari, a
monthly publication along the lines of Reader's Digest.

In 1965, they started Kompas. The paper, which celebrates its
40th anniversary on June 28, has not only become the country's
biggest newspaper, but also the backbone of leading business
group Kompas-Gramedia Group, which has subsidiaries in hotels,
department stores, television and radio stations.

Jakob was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Yogyakarta-
based Gadjah Mada University in 2003, where he finished his
studies in 1961.

The award was given in appreciation of his achievement in
developing journalism for peace in the country.

Question: How do you see the overall condition of the print media
in facing competition from television and radio stations that
offer various programs?

Answer: It is interesting. I also see this phenomenon. I
wonder (whether) the print and electronic media, especially
television, can combine.

Based on my observation -- and some analysts also see this --
I conclude that there is a new phase in the development of the
media. I think it is an extraordinary progress.

Today, the media, pioneered by the electronic media like
television, have created an "open stage". On this stage, news,
reports and comments become more lively and everyone watches
them. They get a larger audience. People who usually read
newspapers or magazines have become television viewers. They
watch television, because the "visual" experience is now very
important. If we bring news or an event onto the stage, public
opinion becomes more real, more alive.

Therefore, the media should not only report news but must also
be able to choose the best from the events to present "shows on
stage" -- (which are) watchable on television, listenable on
radio and readable in the print media. The electronic and print
media have started to combine and they are getting more
intensive.

Perhaps, the media people do not really understand this new
situation. The electronic media do not understand and the print
media get carried away.

Well, we have democracy. Through democracy we get freedom,
without freedom of the press, what is democracy? For me, I think
there are two aspects in press freedom: the "freedom from" and
the "freedom for".

We have been fighting for "freedom from", from the powers
(that be) or from public pressure. We have achieved it. The
control of the government is weakening. Sure, there is a
phenomenon where media disputes are brought to court. I think
this is part of the process.

If we look at the progress in society, like the way pilkada
(local elections) are taking place and some political parties
break up, I think the press must start to think about the
"freedom for".

For what? Of course for the development of democracy to
improve the lives of the people.

There is another concept among social democratic groups. They
fight for freedom, democracy, politics, human rights, social
rights, economic rights and cultural rights. Freedom must be
aimed at developing the economic, social and cultural conditions
of the people.

What was the experience of Kompas in surviving the oppressive New
Order regime of Soeharto?

Frankly speaking, I have a very basic stance: Universal values
must be held as a reference point and Kompas has used them as a
reference from the beginning. As I also monitor the social,
political and cultural conditions of the nation, I find that the
social condition of the nation affects the implementation of
these universal values.

We have proven it now. Pilkada is (supposed to) bring about
democratic values -- fair and peaceful competition. Here,
however, it produces violence. There is also a phenomenon in
which the regent of Temanggung was urged to resign by the local
people. It also happened to the regent of Wonogiri.

Well, but why are the people's economic conditions not getting
better? The excuse will be: It takes time. But, I think there
must be signs of improvement.

It means that the media must keep on monitoring the situation
to meet the "freedom for". We record the event and make reports
in a certain framework.

I take this into consideration. We must see the real condition
of the people so that the goal of democracy can be achieved
effectively.

Then in a society -- either in an autocracy or democracy,
culture is important. For example, now we practice democracy, but
have the state leaders practiced a democratic culture? Or is it
still feudalistic?

We have practiced -- well, are going to practice -- democracy,
but the culture remains the same. The state leaders are still
sensitive to criticism and find something to blame. It is because
we still have a feudalistic culture. In fact, democracy should be
transparent.

During the era of Pak Harto (Soeharto), I took all these into
consideration and played carefully. My colleagues Bung Rosihan
(Anwar) and (columnist) Brouwer sneered at me. They called it
jurnalisme kepiting (crab journalism).

We always monitored the situation. If there was a warning from
colleagues or the government, we stepped back. Afterwards we
moved forward again.

When I presented this at a seminar of the East-West Center in
Hawaii, they said that I am like a guerrilla soldier. We survive
but do not surrender.

Still, there are the pros and cons. I accept it. There is
criticism. Some have said that Kompas is too powerless and too
weak. But, one thing is certain; we have credibility.

We have no political ambitions. We think our assets are quite
enough. With all this we can maintain our credibility and
"independence".

Sure, I acknowledge that, to a certain degree, I made
adjustments to the actual conditions.

We dare to live with sacrifice and commitment. There are media
that dare to die, I appreciate this also. But, to dare to live
with commitment and to maneuver is also a method.

In fact we also experienced a closure in 1978. We were the
last to get the permit to publish again.

Indonesian culture is so powerful and omnipotent, that (thanks
to its influence) the autocratic government (of Soeharto) did not
turn out to be very cruel. It still provided room (for the media)
to maneuver.

But, there is a plus and minus. Please, make an evaluation.
The important thing is that we did not surrender. We kept on
seeking a way. It is an interaction. It needs stamina and
smartness.

The most important thing is that we never gave in to political
ambition and money. Thank God, we have enough money and we have
no political ambitions. We don't want to get state positions.

Of course, there is a fight.

How do you see the trend of bringing media disputes to court?

All of us, including Kompas, are aware of it. Now, there is a
problem with the law. Like other tools, the law can also deviate
from its goal. It is a fact that people can easily file a lawsuit
against the media. That is why we must be smart.

Once we are brought to court, we will lose much time and often
feel afraid (over the prospects of paying compensation). But,
there is a positive side, that is we are urged to work
professionally. We must uphold the code of ethics. Unavoidably,
we must be accountable for any reports.

For this, the presence of the Press Council is quite helpful.
All problems should be settled by giving the public the chance to
clarify any false reports. If this does not work, the dispute
will be settled through mediation at the Press Council.

This will provide a faster solution than the courts, besides,
we will not lose money. (laughing)

Which is more difficult, facing government control or a lawsuit?

For the press, technically, both of them are equally
disturbing, but the one that hampers the press freedom, is more
serious.

Still, there is the positive side of it. We must be more
accurate.

The style of Kompas seems to be outdated today. Will this paper
maintain its style or change to become more direct?

I think that impression is correct. We are not
straightforward. Possibly, it (the style) comes from me who has a
Javanese background, (laughing). From childhood, Javanese people
do not ask for money directly, but they often tell the reasons
first.

Perhaps, I brought that culture (into the paper) and it suited
the situation at the time of the New Order government.

But, you are right. We must be straightforward now, because
space is precious, and there is no time to read long stories. We
must make the stories concise. It does not mean a short story,
but concise -- the content is the same but with fewer words.

We will not say "carry out the killing" but "kill". We do not
write "commit the robbery" but "rob". It is clearer.

There is another style, namely storytelling. I see it in The
Jakarta Post. I asked your chief editor Endy (Bayuni), what did
you get from the Niemann scholarship at Harvard? "It is
storytelling, Sir, and I got some books. I read them, and we will
try it."

Storytelling is exciting. It is not abstract but concrete.
Analysis tends to be abstract. Readers do not like abstract
articles. They want concrete and lively writing that reflects the
ambience. That is storytelling.

Kompas is willing to adopt it. Of course we will sustain our
credibility, professionalism and refer to the code of ethics.

Do you think it is a burden for Kompas?

It is not a specific burden for Kompas, but all the media. We
must be responsible for what we have published. It is read by
many people. If Kompas runs a story, the public will see it as
the truth. This is somehow a burden.

This drives us to be accurate. We do not run stories that
discredit or hurt someone.

Trial by the press is another problem. When there was only the
print media, trial by the press could easily be avoided because
writing is selective.

With regards television, they also make a choice but they tend
to choose pictures or scenes that are attractive, the
attractiveness of differences or conflict. Television presents
more dramatic reports (compared to those presented by the print
media). The audience can easily watch it.

Trial by the press should be taken into consideration
seriously because it is hard to rehabilitate (the reputation of
those discredited by the television) because the public has
already seen it. We have to find another format.

We know that in the United States people are not allowed to
take a picture of a trial. Only sketches are available. I don't
know what our policy will be in the future.

I think we must maintain and improve our newspapers to be more
acceptable, accurate, comprehensive and respect the rights of the
people.

How do you see the future of the print media given the fact that
the electronic media has grown so fast?

This has been the question of the World Association of
Newspapers Publishers and the Magazine Association for 15 to 20
years. When television and other electronic media emerged, there
was a worldwide phenomenon of the decreasing circulation of
newspapers.

Media people are seeking a way and this association -- a
professional organization -- gives recommendations. This
organization has conducted research and we can take lessons from
it. The drop of circulation is because the electronic media can
provide news anytime. Television can air breaking news anytime,
not periodically. By nature the print media is periodic, the
morning newspaper is available in the morning.

Periodic media is defeated. Reading needs more effort than
watching. We make a distance while reading, whereas while
watching we are carried away.

For Indonesia, the situation is even worse because the reading
habit is weak. Japan, where the people have a strong reading
habit, has also sees a decreasing circulation. Also other
countries.

We must find a way. What is the disadvantage of the print
media compared to the electronic media? Visualization. What else?
Staging. If an event is brought to the stage for clearer view,
the effect is much greater.

Then, (in television) visualization is also combined with
entertainment. So important is the aspect of entertainment that
there are the terms infotainment and edutainment. So there must
be an aspect of entertainment. Newspapers and magazines must
follow and apply the "dimension of entertainment", adjust it with
the nature of the print media through "people, fashion, etc."
columns. The entertainment in electronic media comes
simultaneously with the arrival of the consumerism, image
building and lifestyle.

We must monitor all these.

Consequently, Kompas has planned a redesign, scheduled (to
start) on June 28. This will make the newspaper easier and
clearer to read. But, still the content is the king. Of course,
content, with a nice presentation. It is unavoidable, we must go
there, The Jakarta Post has made it.

The new design includes the byline credit. It will give
personality, professional pride, stimulus and professional
competence.

Do you also think about your successor?

Yes, I also think about this. I often talk about this with my
colleagues, my generation, the late Pak Ojong. Whether our
creation will be successful or not depends on the next
generation. The young generation must understand and know the
values and culture of Kompas. This must become their framework.

For me the news and all the contents of the newspaper are an
interaction between the factual event on the field -- in society
in the bureaucracy and other environments -- with our framework
here. What we consider as important unavoidably connects with our
character in social life.

Secondly, professional competence in all sectors -- editorial,
business, and human resources. Here, we build character and
personality. Because in a small community like a newspaper
company if there are one or two people who are a disturbance, it
will affect the whole company. Thus, character is important.

Then, our philosophy is we do care, work hard, check and
recheck and control. These are elementary things, but we must
keep these.

Not to mention the blessings of God, all these things have
made us what we are today.

Now we have young leaders. It is the COO (who will replace
me). But soon (he or she) will become the CEO. I know it is time
for me to step back further.

We also have deputies for business and communication, because
communication is very important -- inside and outside. We have
the forum of core management representing all units, consisting
of the young generation.

May all run as we hope. I have prepared for all this
seriously. It is an examination, I learn from (the experience of)
other newspapers which have only been able to sustain one
generation.