RI media yet to enjoy press freedom

RI media yet to enjoy press freedom

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Most media in the country have yet to enjoy freedom of the press
following the downfall of the repressive New Order regime in 1998
due to a number of factors, including economic constraints.

Chairman of the Indonesian Newspaper Publishers Association
Leo Batubara revealed on Friday that only 30 percent of 596 print
media in the country were considered "healthy" and profitable.

Of the electronic media, only 10 percent of 1,100 radio
stations and three of 20 television stations were healthy.

"This situation has forced those unfortunate media,
particularly tabloids, to produce sensational and bombastic
publications to raise their circulation," he said on Friday.

As many media still struggled to survive, Leo added, they
could not make use of the freedom they had to monitor the
performance of the government, the legislature and the judiciary.

Hordes of new investors have entered the media industry
following the abolition of licensing requirements by the
government under former president B. J. Habibie, and the
liquidation of the Ministry of Information, which practically
controlled the media, by then president Abdurrahman Wahid.

However, the situation has been abused by corrupt
businesspeople and politicians, who have bought media companies
in order to control public opinion.

In addition to control by businesspeople, the media also faced
another huge challenge: to free itself from the threat of mob
violence.

Citing the recent attack by sympathizers of businessman Tomy
Winata on Tempo magazine's offices, Leo also said that currently,
the media had to deal with mob violence.

Chief editor of Tempo Bambang Harymurti said that growing
violence against the media served as a setback for press freedom
in the country.

"I think it has happened due to legal uncertainties here," he
said, adding that there was no reason for people to resort to
physical abuse against the media.

Alliance of Independence Journalists (AJI) chairperson Ati
Nurbaiti concurred, saying that such violence could cause the
media to censor itself, and this was dangerous for the media,
given its position as watchdog on the government, the legislature
and the judiciary.

"Our judicial system and its officials can do nothing (to
support the media). Worse, there is nothing significant to
prevent violence against the press," said Ati in a statement.

Bambang, whose magazine is currently involved in a legal
dispute with Tomy, suggested the press council should act as an
arbiter to handle disputes involving the media.

"People may sue the media in court, but if they choose to
settle their dispute with the media through the press council,
they need no longer proceed with a lawsuit," he said.

Bambang said that the choice would benefit all parties, as not
all disputes involving the media needed to be resolved in court,
a process that required both time and money.

He also suggested the media and press council promote
legislation about the press among the public and the authorities
in a bid to raise their awareness of press freedom.