Rosihan calls for 'chatty' journalism

JAKARTA: Veteran journalist Rosihan Anwar has hailed a new trend in journalistic reporting, advising younger generation journalists to write more in a "chatty" style.

"Reporters, men or women, don't seem to have the ability to write in a narrative manner," said Rosihan, who is also renown as an avid writer, educator, artist and historian.

He is campaigning for a new style in modern journalism, where writers make their reports in a narrative, or "story-telling", way. The concept is in contrast with the classical "reverse pyramid" style of news reporting, where the most important information is conveyed in the lead paragraphs, and less important information in later paragraphs.

Rosihan was speaking on the sidelines of a book launching on Wednesday at the Wisma Bimasena in the Dharmawangsa Hotel in South Jakarta.

Senior journalist Herawati Diah launched the English version of her biography An Endless Journey. Diah, who turns 88 this April, was one of the founders of the now-defunct English- language newspaper, Indonesian Observer.

"Ibu Diah uses a conventional approach in most of her writings, and she writes well and in a chatty way," said Rosihan. "I'm a man, I wouldn't do that."

Mark Hanusz of Equinox publishing said that it was important that Ibu Diah's story be documented. "I'm really excited about publishing it because foreigners can learn a lot through one person's view of Indonesian history." --JP