Press Council

Press Council

From Republika

The establishment of the Board of the Press Council for 2000- 2003, on May 17, 2000 in Jakarta is a realization of Law No 40/1999 on Press. This is in line with Article 15: "...in the framework to develop press freedom and to enhance the national press life, an independent Press Council shall be set up".

As a follow-up to the establishment of an independent Press Council which has the function of "protecting" and "developing" press freedom, it is high time the board eliminated some elements of the national media which have violated the principle of press freedom, by being too "free" and going too far so that the meaning of "press freedom" becomes vague.

There is an increasing tendency to use violence against the journalistic profession as a result of a lack of understanding of Law No 40/1999 on press matters and the journalistic code of ethics. Therefore the establishment of an independent and professional Press Council is expected to accommodate the national press as a whole and to encourage them to be free and responsible as well as independent.

MURDIANTO MS

Jakarta