Journalists are powerful

The press is a powerful institution. Through their media reports, journalists can influence, dramatize, shape opinion, exaggerate, insinuate, sensationalize, speculate, slant news, sow discord, downplay events, engage in hype, or even revise history (if they so wish). And there will always be people who believe anything in print. The best journalists are those who adhere to the basic ABC's: accuracy, balance and completeness. This can be done by writing with care and objectivity.

Journalists can be a tricky lot. One day prior to the Indonesia Air Show '96, I was fortunate enough to be allowed to enter the hall where the pre-show press conference led by Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie was being held. About 100 domestic and international reporters were present, as well as a number of officials and show participants.

The minister explained Indonesia's developing aviation industry, including the N-250 and N-2130 aircraft programs, and was fielding questions from the assembled reporters, when one western journalist made this query: "Dr. Habibie, as your research thesis for your doctorate was on hypersonic technology, will Indonesia now venture into supersonic or hypersonic aircraft?"

Any fool would know that the question was a trap. I believe Habibie saw through that journalist, because without blinking an eye he deftly replied, "No, we are not thinking about hypersonic aircraft. What Indonesia is developing are civilian, commuter aircraft for a certain market segment."

The journalist, coming from a developed country, only managed to reveal a certain superiority complex. I do not know what story he had in mind through asking his question, but I believe he planned to cast doubt, belittle or ridicule Indonesia's nascent aviation industry. Before Indonesia's N-250 turboprop made its first successful flight, a regional newsweekly placed its story emphasis on the fact that it might crash.

People who follow newspapers, magazines and TV must realize that journalists are human beings like anybody else -- they have their biases, errors of judgment, likes, dislikes, ignorance, idiosyncrasies, prejudices, strengths, weaknesses and are in no way infallible. Press people, including the so-called professional international media, are very powerful, but they should not dictate completely how we think. At day's end, we should decide that matter for ourselves.

FARID BASKORO

Jakarta