Media needs help to improve themselves toward professionalsm

Media needs help to improve themselves toward professionalsm

Ignatius Haryanto , Jakarta

Last month, Tempo weekly news magazine received two different
decisions in settling the problems caused by its coverage. The
two decisions from two different institutions suggests two
different approaches in settling press complaints.

In the first case, Central Jakarta District Court found the
magazine was guilty for publishing false material and libel over
businessman, Tommy Winata. In the other case, the Press Council
found that the Tempo articles did not adhere to the Indonesian
journalist code of ethics in its report about PT Toba Pulp
Lestari (TPL).

The results of these two institutions over Tempo were also
totally different. The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced
Tempo's chief editor a one year jail term, which was based on the
criminal code. Meanwhile the Press Council told the magazine to
publish a two-page correction article in its next edition, a
decision which is based on the press law.

For time frame, it is also worth to compare, Tempo-Tommy
Winata's case had been ruled in the court for one and half years,
while Tempo-TPL case was settled only in 5 weeks.

We must admit that TPL was very wise in using the Press Law
settlement mechanism in tackling press complaints, and not using
the criminal code to sue the magazine weekly. This mechanism is
far better since the Indonesian Press Law clearly rules the role
of the Press Council in handling such matters. No doubt about the
fact that the press -- Tempo is just an example -- often acts
unprofessionally.

We also don't know what's the real reason behind TPL using the
Press Council for settling their press complaint, whether the
company had their own strategy to get public sympathy or not, but
one thing for sure is that we should commend them. Using the
press law mechanism and the press council settlement will give
other people or institutions an alternative for having a win
solution over the press. TPL is only one example we should note
to inspire others in facing press complaints elegantly.

We cannot just conclude that by bringing the case to court
will give harder punishment for the press rather than the Press
Council, because actually if the press had to admit that they
made a mistake they would have to admit it openly to their
readers. Although, many people still don't believe that such a
punishment mechanism is suitable, but it is true that media
people would be very embarrassed in admitting their faults.

The media people sometimes resist to admit their faults, since
they fear that they will loose their credibility of their
readers. However in the long run, it will raise media
credibility, since readers (in the case of print media) will
notice that media people are just like other human beings, who
can make a mistake. Therefore, talking about professional media
is no longer talking about the media people who never make
mistakes, but people who are ready to admit their faults.

Of course this statement does not mean they will tolerate any
mistakes in the future, but at least, when media people are brave
enough to acknowledge their mistakes, there are two procedures
they will follow.

Firstly, the journalists will try their best to minimize their
mistakes in their work. Secondly, if the journalists already try
hard to avoid making mistakes, but they still fail, there is room
for admitting their mistakes.

Another lesson learned from the Tempo-TPL case is the role of
the Press Council, which should be stronger in the future. Since
we have an independent Press Council from 1999 to now, all media
stakeholders, should step up their efforts in maximizing the role
of the council. By promoting the institution and its role to
other regions all over Indonesia, it will help much in educating
people and other media stakeholders in using the Press Law
mechanism.

When we are talking about Press Ethics, we must admit that our
Press Ethics are too simple and short. More elaboration is needed
to anticipate the complexity of the press environment today.

Again, learning from the two different decisions from two
different institutions over the Tempo case, it will be much more
efficient and for anyone who wants to complain about media
coverage by using the Press Law mechanism.

The reason is very obvious: The Press Council settlement will
take the issue within the press mechanism, and then it will take
shorter time, and cheaper budget, both for the media, and to
those who lodged the complaint.

However if people still prefer to go to court, where the
criminal code will be likely used instead of the press law, of
course it is their right to do so.

Quoting Eduard Depari, a senior corporate adviser of TPL, when
he spoke to the journalists after the Press Council decision,
"There are no winners or losers in this case; the victor is the
country's press freedom." When we agree that press freedom should
be secured, we should really work together to maintain our press
freedom, including improving the quality of journalists and the
media.

The writer is a researcher and vice executive director of
Institute for Press and Development Studies in Jakarta.