Meager wages key to 'envelope culture'

Meager wages key to 'envelope culture'

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Indonesian
Journalists Association and National Press Day, which falls on
Feb. 9, The Jakarta Post ponders the "envelope culture" in the
following article. More stories on Page 2 and Page 9.

JAKARTA (JP): An embarrassed young journalist hopped out of a
taxi. She would never forget her short conversation with the taxi
driver.

"So, you are a journalist?" the driver queried. "That's good,
you must have a lot of envelopes."

Indonesian journalists know all too well what the taxi driver
meant. He was referring to the "envelope culture", in which cash
is exchanged for favorable news reports. It is no secret that
some Indonesian journalists get cash from their sources. The cash
is put in an envelope and then distributed at certain events,
gaining the name uang amplop (enveloped money). Journalists who
accept the money are called wartawan amplop (envelop
journalists).

Some sources have a more refined way of bribing journalists.
They might transfer the money directly to a journalist's bank
account, or provide free vouchers and expensive gifts instead of
cash.

Many sources and journalists are of course against bribery,
but some help phony journalists foster the envelope culture.
Armed with faked press cards, the phony journalists attend media
briefings and will not leave without some cash. They regularly
milk hush money from delinquent businesspeople and government
officials.

The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) states in its
code of ethics that journalists should not receive anything from
their sources. But violations do occur and the association has
done little to cure the disease.

"The publishing companies are expected to discipline their own
reporters," PWI secretary-general, Parni Hadi, said in an
interview with The Jakarta Post. Parni is the chief editor of the
Republika daily.

Republika is strongly against the distribution of envelopes,
he said. Zsa Zsa Yusharyahya, the business manager of the RCTI
television station, is also against the envelopes.

Souvenirs

"We accept souvenirs, which serve as promotional items to be
publicly distributed as marketing gimmicks, such as T-shirts and
pens, but no cash or personal gifts," Zsa Zsa explained.

August Parengkuan, deputy chief editor of the Kompas daily,
said that his newspaper has dismissed journalists found to have
accepted envelopes. When a reporter is suspected to have received
envelop money, but there is no proof to justify dismissal, the
Kompas management moves the journalist to a non-editorial
department.

Most of the Indonesian media do accept free out-of-town trips,
however.

"Well... ideally we pay for our expenditures. But let's say a
cabinet minister invites us to cover his activities out of town,
we will take it because this will help us with the news
coverage," Parengkuan said.

Can you still be critical of someone who provides you with a
nice flight, comfortable accommodation and good food?

Zsa Zsa, Parengkuan and Parni share the opinion that free
trips can affect the objectivity of reporters.

"It is the duty of the editors to screen bias or promotional
reports," Parengkuan offered as a solution.

Both private companies and government institutions are equally
knowledgeable of the "envelope culture". Some government
institutions even impose income tax on bribes because they
consider the money official expenditure.

But not all the money reaches unscrupulous journalists. Some
times public relations officers, including those at government
institutions, steal part of the bribe for themselves.

Journalists can be offered as little as Rp 5,000 (US$2.1) to
over Rp 1 million.

Clearly, the bribe money a journalist could earn in a month
could easily exceed his or her legitimate salary.

Established mass media companies provide journalists with an
adequate income, but many journalists don't earn enough to live.
Starting salaries can be less than Rp 100,000 a month.

"I am not a hypocrite. Sometimes I accept cash from my sources
because my salary is small," a senior newspaper journalist said.

"But I don't want to be under their control. What I mean is,
whether or not they give me money, I will write the report
because of its news value. But if they give me the money and ask
me to write something which is against my conscience, then no
thank you," he said.

Aware that many journalists don't earn an adequate salary, the
Indonesian Journalists Association is considering regulating
salaries.

Salaries

"We have been thinking about this for a long time," Parni
said. "I think a new reporter deserves around Rp 500,000 ($217) a
month."

Last year Indonesia had 247 newspapers with a total
circulation of 10.5 million copies; 117 magazines (5.13 million
copies); and 823 radio stations, 627 of which are privately
owned. There is also one state television station and five
private television stations with an audience of 92 million.

Most of the media companies, however, are not financially
secure. Due to financial problems, there are "dailies" which are
printed once a week, and some publications appear only
occasionally. Financial problems therefore factor largely in the
envelope culture.

Parni suggests that the small publications merge.

"The press must be a combination of industry and idealism," he
said.

Republika, which hit the market in 1993 with a capital of Rp
12 billion, is backed by Minister of Research and Technology B.J.
Habibie, the Association of Indonesian Moslem Scholars and a
number of tycoons like Bob Hassan, Probosutedjo, Sudwikatmono,
and Bambang Trihatmodjo. Bob Hassan also invests in several other
media companies, including Gatra. Sukamdani S. Gitosardjono has
big shares in Bisnis Indonesia. Media Indonesia does well with
the help of businessman Surya Paloh. All of the five private TV
stations are owned by conglomerates outside the press circle.

Editor, which lost its publishing license in 1994, re-appeared
under a new name, Tiras, seven months later with financial
assistance from Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, who is also a
big businessman.

The Kompas and Suara Pembaruan dailies are examples of
successful newspapers which are independent of conglomerates
outside the press circle.

Huge capital is required to maintain a newspaper. Journalists
are able to work well only if their welfare is ensured, which, in
turn, helps counter the envelope culture.

But, as Parni insisted, the envelope culture has much to do
with the mentality of Indonesian journalists, and the current
social and political environment.

"How can we eliminate the envelope culture if society
justifies bribery?" Parni asked.

Surya Paloh, owner of the Media Indonesia daily, said he does
not forbid his journalists from accepting bribes because it is
impossible to know what they do behind his back.

"I just tell them to think about their dignity," he said.