'Paid', bogus press mar free press' integrity

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.

More stories and photos Page 1, 3