'Press must not abandon idealism'

'Press must not abandon idealism'

By Santi WE Soekanto

MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): Indonesian journalists received a
rap over their knuckles on National Press Day yesterday, when
President Soeharto reprimanded them for letting commercial
interests overrun idealism.

In his address marking National Press Day, Soeharto deplored
the members of the press who even sacrifice the nation's
interests for the sake of business.

He noted that newspapers and magazines often expose and
package stories in such a way to increase readership.

Sometimes they do it in a way "that is not in agreement with
what the nation considers its priorities," he said at the meeting
attended by the country's senior journalists and press
executives.

He reminded the journalists of the delicate line which
separates news reporting from activities which may harm the
nation. The press often goes too far and "approaches, or
oversteps, the line, creating unrest in this diverse nation".

Soeharto acknowledged the pressure of business competition
that drives the press to publish news and pictures which may
offend the public's sense of propriety.

"Business competition has driven publishers to make
circulation increases their most important goal," he said.

"News and pictures are presented to help sales, neglecting
accuracy and the sense of propriety," he said. "This is an
unhealthy development, and may threaten our nation. We should
guard against it."

The commemoration of National Press Day was also attended by
Mrs. Tien Soeharto, Minister of Information Harmoko, several
other cabinet ministers, and North Sulawesi Governor C.J.
Rantung.

A series of activities, including a press exhibition, are
being carried out concurrently to mark the annual event.

Soeharto acknowledged that sometimes there are differences of
opinion among the press, the public and the government.

"Such differences are normal in a democratic country," he
said.

He reminded the national press that it shoulders the even
greater responsibility of safeguarding the nation from
potentially unsuitable information from outside sources, he said.

He said the press should be sensitive enough to understand the
diversity of the Indonesian society, and to cater to its unique
needs. "The press should realize the importance of catching the
unspoken message in society," he said.

"Our public has become increasingly critical ... and they
demand comprehensive, fast, accurate and reliable information.

"If the national media fails to provide fast, comprehensive,
accurate and reliable information, the public will turn to
foreign sources of information, whose products may not be
suitable," he warned.

Some of the foreign information sources "have missions and
visions which may not be in agreement with our nation's
interests," he said.

Soeharto justified these expectations of the Indonesian press
on the grounds that the domestic press is an important and
inseparable part of the nation, which has gone through a lot to
reach its current stage of development.

"We have gone through a half century since our
independence ... we have had invaluable experiences, some moments
which bring hope ... we have experienced some upheavals which
almost brought our country to the pit of destruction," he said.

The country has spent some of the 50 years after the
declaration of independence in 1945 "to handle upheavals ... in a
process of nation building".

"The national press has gone through the ups and downs along
the same road that the nation has traveled," he said. "The press
is an aspect, which has grown and developed together with the
nation."

"The press has played an important role in the country's
progress," he said, adding that Indonesia intends to accelerate
its forward momentum for the sake of keeping up with other
nations.

"We should prepare ourselves ... we must not be left behind,"
he said. Therefore, "the national press should develop and become
a force which encourages healthy development ... and the press
should improve its quality."

Minister Harmoko described in his speech how the national
press is squeezed between internal and external pressures and
challenges.

One of the features of a "healthy press" is its ability to
carry out its functions "freely and responsibly", he said.

He also reminded journalists that freedom of the press is not
absolute.