Majority of people fully behind a free press: Survey

A free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad. -- ALBERT CAMUS in Resistance, Rebellion and Death.

The press must be free; it has always been so and much evil has been corrected by it. If government finds itself annoyed by it, let it examine its own conduct and it will find the cause. -- LORD CHANCELLOR THOMAS ERSKINE, in Rex vs Paine, 1792.

JAKARTA (JP): A clear majority of people in this country believe that a free press, in spite of any possible excesses, bring more good than harm to society, according to a poll.

More than 60 percent of the 1,050 people who were questioned in three major cities felt that, overall, the press have not abused their newly found freedom, contrary to claims by some government officials.

Only 30 percent of the respondents agreed with these government officials. These respondents said that the press have exaggerated the news (42.5 percent), neglected professional ethics (23.3 percent) or engaged in character assassination (17.9 percent).

Of those who feel that the press are doing a good job, 67 percent said the press have largely told the stories truthfully, and nearly 26 percent felt that this was a positive development. A further 22 percent said the press have acted as a social control to check the power of the government.

The survey was commissioned by The Jakarta Post and conducted by the Resource Productivity Center. The respondents -- 350 each in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya -- were picked at random from different economic backgrounds. The respondents were 63 percent men and 37 percent women, and 82 percent were between the ages of 20 and 39.

The respondents were also asked to rank news mediums in terms of news credibility. Topping the list are the private television networks, followed by Internet web sites and daily newspapers. State-run TVRI is rated a decent fourth, while tabloids ranked among the lowest in terms of credibility.

Respondents were also asked to compare the current press with the press under the Soeharto regime, rating the two in four major categories: freedom, satisfactoriness, orderliness and clarity of presentation, and dependence on the government.

Of the current press, freedom ranks the highest, with 97 percent of respondents saying that they believe the current press is free. Satisfactoriness comes next with 80 percent of respondents approving the new press, while orderliness and clarity of presentation received 47.7 percent approval. Only 5.5 percent of respondents said that the press are dependent on the power holders.

Of the press under Soeharto, the order is reversed. Ninety-six percent said that the press were dependent on the power holders, while 33 percent said the press were orderly and clear in presentation. Only 3.4 percent rated the press as satisfactory, and a small number of respondents, 1.5 percent, believed that the press during the Soeharto regime were free.

The respondents were also asked about the government's press licensing system, and a majority of them (58.4 percent) believed that the government should issue new licenses more sparingly, and only 34.2 percent said that the government should continue issuing the licenses.

The survey has a five percent error margin.

1. Do you think the press have abused their freedom?

Yes 30.6

No 60.2

Don't know 9.1

2. If your answer to question no. 1 is yes, state your reason:

Press coverage has been excessive and out of proportion 42.5

The press have been unethical 23.3

The press have engaged in character assassination 17.9

Stories are based on hearsay and incite the masses 17.3

The press have become tools for certain parties 12.7

The press are too commercial-oriented 12.2

3. If your answer to question no. 2 is no, state your reason:

They simply tell the way things are 67.1

It is a positive development 25.9

They function as checks on governmental power 22.4

They encourage readers to be more critical 9.3

4. Rank your order of medium in terms of their credibility:

Private TV stations 40.9

Internet websites 21.3

Daily newspapers 18.1

TVRI (state television station) 11.0

News magazines 6.1

Private radio stations 8.8

RRI (state radio station) 4.4

Tabloids 1.8

Others 2.9

5. What do you think of the government's press licensing system?

It should be selective in issuing new licenses 58.4

It should continue issuing new licenses 34.2

It should review and even revoke existing licenses 9.3

It should stop issuing new licenses 5.1

6. How different are the press of today from those of the past?

They have more freedom 97.1

They are more satisfactory 80.3

They are more orderly and clearer in presentation 47.4

They depend on the power holders 5.5

7. How different were the press of the past from those of the present?

They depended on the power holders 96.1

They were more orderly and clear 33.1

They were more satisfactory 3.4

They had more freedom 1.5