Soeharto criticizes media on reporting

Soeharto criticizes media on reporting

JAKARTA (JP): The country's media celebrated National Press
Day yesterday by receiving a dose of heavy criticism from
President Soeharto for "disproportional" reporting on the current
economic crisis.

The President said the media frequently reported baseless
rumors or news without taking into consideration whether they
were newsworthy, accurate or what their impact would be on the
nation.

He pointed out to national media bosses that such
irresponsible reporting had become a boomerang for the media
industry itself as it had become among the first victims of the
current economic hardship.

"Now it (the rupiah's fall) brings negative impacts to the
media which initially ignited its development. The press itself
has been among the first direct victims of the economic crisis
with the very sharp increase in the price of newsprint," the
President said in his speech marking National Press Day at the
State Palace.

The rupiah's free-fall against the U.S. dollar has caused
newsprint to rise nearly five times in price since last year, and
about 200 of more than 280 publications are reportedly on the
brink of bankruptcy.

In the last few weeks some newspapers have reduced staff,
number of pages or the size of their papers.

"Intentionally or unintentionally, the national media actually
has also contributed to the unfavorable atmosphere to restore
(economic stability)," Soeharto said.

The ceremony was attended by most of the country's senior
editors both from the print and electronic media. Minister of
Information R. Hartono, Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi
Taher and Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop
Ave were also present.

"There have been many cases recently that indicated how the
people were easily made restless... (They) became irrational
because they were provoked by media reports that were not
proportional to the economic situation," the President said.

He also called for a revision of journalistic ethics,
"especially for television and radio which have played a big role
in triggering people's quick reactions to responding to their
reports on the economic crisis."

Experts say that the influence of TV news is steadily rising
and the supervision of their reports is less strict than the
controls over the print media.

TV and radio stations, however, have also been seriously
affected by the crisis as advertising revenues are drying up.

Jakarta-based daily Berita Yudha switched to tabloid format
from yesterday in order to survive. The financially strong Jawa
Pos Group has also had to slim down the size of Jawa Pos and
Suara Indonesia, from nine columns to seven columns.

Contrary to previous reports, however, newspapers in Medan,
North Sumatra are still alive. They have vowed to struggle on as
long as possible.

The chairman of the Indonesian Journalists' Association,
Sofyan Lubis, said in his report to the President that
skyrocketing newsprint prices had severely affected the media
industry.

"But we believe, as we have for a long time, that Bapak will
not forget the national press and will always be united with us,"
Lubis said in reference to Soeharto.

"We believe that the government will do something to resolve
it (the price of newsprint)," Lubis added.

Lubis also presented a donation of gold to the President as
evidence of journalists' strong support of the government's
efforts to overcome the economic crisis.

"We do not need to see it (the donation) in terms of its value
itself. What is important is the (expression) of solidarity of
the journalists in facing the current situation," Soeharto
replied when receiving the donation of undisclosed weight. (prb)