'Paid', bogus press mar free press' integrity

Sun, 20 Mar 2005, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Bogus journalists cause a headache for many people. Some people
however deliberately maintain a relationship with them as they
benefit from their existence. The Jakarta Post's cover story team
analyze the cause of the phenomenon (page 1, 3) and how some real
journalists, like bogus journalists, also expect cash from news
sources (page 3)

They pose as journalists, but represent no media
organizations. People here call them bodrex. At press
conferences, like real journalists, they are always busy asking
questions, But, their main interest is not in the news but the
cash or presents that will be distributed by the organizer at the
end of the press conference.

Bogus journalism has been growing in the country due to
chronic corruption in society and the ignorance of most of the
public over the importance of press integrity.

Many people are willing to provide bribes for journalists to
ensure that the press will cover or blow up good stories about
them or stop publishing bad news about them.

The bribe is usually placed in envelopes distributed after the
press conference or during the lebaran holiday. The amount ranges
from Rp 50,000 in a press conference to Rp 1.5 million during
lebaran.

This is a common practice for almost all private and state
organizations, including ministries, police, public prosecutor's
office, sport associations, multinational firms and local firms.

Thus, anyone can pose as a journalist and come to a press
conference. They will almost certainly get an envelope as most of
the above-mentioned organizations would not bother checking the
identity of those in attendance.

It is no wonder then that on some occasions it is hard for
real journalists to cover a firm's shareholders meeting as the
event is packed with bogus reporters.

Envelopes distributed during a press conference contain
between Rp 50,000 and Rp 300,000 in cash. Thus, a bogus
journalist could get millions of rupiah a month if there are many
press conferences in the month. Normally, a bogus journalist
could "earn" at least Rp 1.3 million a month, well above the
highest minimum wage of Rp 800,000 set by the government.

Nor only bogus reporters, some real journalists also take
envelopes from news sources to compensate for their low salaries.

Nezar Partia, secretary-general of the Alliance of Independent
Journalists (AJI), explained bogus journalism and the "envelope
phenomenon" as a result of supply and demand. There are supplies
of funds from news sources for journalists and some of the media
people also need that.

Thus, he told The Jakarta Post that it was unfair to only
blame the "supply side" for the phenomenon.

"The media should also be self-introspective. The problem is
that not all media organizations pay their journalists well.
Economic hardship is often the reason why journalists accept
envelopes," Nezar said.

Nezar urged government institutions and the private sector to
stop giving envelopes to reporters to cut the number of bogus
journalists, which has now reached hundreds in Jakarta alone.

Nezar noted that some groups of bogus journalists were so well
organized, they know the schedule of press conferences held by
the private sector and the government.

Some groups even have a close relationship with press officers
and public relation managers.

However, several press and public relation officials told the
Post that they deliberately maintained a relationship with bogus
journalists so that they could steal some funds from their
office.

Ryan, not his real name, a press officer at a medium-size
private bank, said he and his colleagues never gave reporters as
much as the amount set by their company. They usually take a
large portion of the funds for themselves and give a small chunk
to the reporters.

He and his friends could take millions in stolen funds from
each press conference.

Bogus journalism and envelope journalism has tainted the
reputation of Indonesia's press. Since the phenomenon is closely
connected to the rampant corruption in the society, it will stay
and even thrive as long as people are not willing to change.