Press freedom will need 'brains, sweat and tears'

Press freedom will need 'brains, sweat and tears'

By Wirasti Wiryono

JAKARTA (JP): Mass communications expert M. Budyatna praised
the Indonesian press yesterday for continuing to produce
objective reports despite the tight regulations of the 1982 Press
Law.

The dean of the University of Indonesia's School of Social and
Political Sciences described how the press still needed to work
hard in order to overcome social, economic and political
challenges.

"The press needs brains, sweat and tears to remain
independent," he told The Jakarta Post .

Indonesia commemorates National Press Day on Feb. 9. This year
the date coincided with the Moslem holiday of Idul Fitri so it is
being marked today.

Budyatna said the press has prospered economically over the
last ten years, but acknowledged that "the freedom of the press"
remained restricted by the law.

He also said the print media had been coping with stiff
competition from rival publications, television and radio --
including the overseas networks CNN, Star TV, ABC -- and the
Internet. The print media remains able to offer objective news
sought after by an increasingly educated, knowledgeable and
critical public in search of facts and solutions.

There is also the added challenge for the press to stay within
the guidelines of the national ideology Pancasila in order to
survive, he said. Pancasila consists of five principles: belief
in God, humanity, national unity, consensus through deliberation
and social justice.

"In these ever-changing times, the idea of patriotism is no
longer measured by fiery slogans but rather by the ability to
facilitate development that will create real prosperity for
many," he said.

He cited the benefits of greater media exposure to rural
areas, a segment of the population that must not be overlooked as
it too has a voice in the country's development.

The rural population, more educated but still comparatively
poor, comprises 65 percent of the country's population of 200
million. The needs of this "silent majority," according to
Budyatna, must be taken into account in order to prevent unrest.

Budyatna's colleague Harsono Soewardi discussed the question
of an independent versus a partisan press. He said that first and
foremost it is the press' responsibility to determine whether it
was objective and to understand the consequences of being
partisan.

"The media and public figures have the responsibility of
guiding people, many of whom have a minimum education and ability
to sift information and comprehend how development is affecting
them," he said.

Both Budyatna and Harsono used the recent fatal rioting in
Tasikmalaya, West Java, as an example of the need for the press
to help educate rural people about development, as well voice
their aspirations about the programs.

The ability to present responsible, in-depth coverage in
accordance with both the journalistic code of ethics and
Pancasila is important, as is the added responsibility to
exercise some degree of self-censorship, Harsono said.

"News must not be written for the sake of increasing
circulation only," he said, suggesting that the media raise
issues without sparking controversy.

Above all, Harsono stressed, the press must also present
solutions in addition to problems.

From the business sector, Harvey Goldstein of Harvest
International, an investment management consulting firm, said
executives would seek news affecting their businesses regardless
of whether it was local or from overseas.

Goldstein called for more factual reporting to serve
investors, and for a balanced view of Indonesia.

Wisaksono Noeradi, a public relations executive at Matari
advertising company, said the so-called objective news in
Indonesia was "relative."

He said the prospects for the print media, totaling 200
newspapers and magazines nationwide, remained bright as it served
as a valuable reference for the public's information needs and
complemented television and radio.

The future of community newspapers is bright, he said.
Although initially unprofitable, they can be informative and have
the potential to be among the country's top 10 newspapers.

He cited Riau Pos daily, part of the Jawa Pos group of
publications, which had done well and catered to the local
population. Available on the Internet, Riau Pos is a member of
the Jawa Pos News Network, with its news pooled under a
syndicated arrangement, which reduces the need for
correspondents.

Wisaksono also called for less of a "herding" mentality among
the press, citing the excessive coverage of the mass exodus of
Idul Fitri holiday-makers from Jakarta.