Sports coverage

Sports coverage

I have been living in Jakarta for about one year and reading
The Jakarta Post for the entire time. I'm glad to see the
wonderful increase in advertising and the improvements in the
editorial portions of the newspaper. As the major English
newspaper in Indonesia, the improvements were necessary and
welcomed.

I have one major area of complaint. The sports coverage is
poorly directed and incomplete. Please don't think of it as
editorial fill. To some people, sports coverage is important
news.

There needs to be a sports editor to cover local news, someone
who is responsible for input and balance. International sports
news is great, but almost by definition, the news is a day old
and very distant. How about a column on local sports? A positive
discussion of all sports.

Interview the up and coming players, the coaches and the
older, former greats, as well as the current top players. Ask
their opinions on world sporting events, local events and local
problems in sports. What does Benny Wijaya, the local tennis
great, think of the upcoming World Doubles Championships being
held in Jakarta in November. What does Susi, our badminton star,
think about the just finished Asian Games. How about golf, table
tennis, or football events coming up locally?

I'm sure many of your readers would like to hear about the
important aspects of sports, the hard work and discipline, the
personal rewards, the value of identification for everyone with
sports figures. Winning is nice and important but the value of a
person and a country is in the doing, not only in the winning. I
hate to hear that Indonesia feels they have a problem when their
athletes do not always win, even when they are seeded.

Sports, contrary to what many people believe, is not winning
but in how you play the game.

Also, I read recently about the terrible turnout for local
events, such as last week's Men's Tennis Challenge. I was there
and the turnout was terrible. But it is partly the fault of the
Post. Make the local sports organizations aware of your interest
in publishing their events.

How about co-sponsoring some of the big events? What would it
cost? Probably only some space and editorial focus. When an event
is scheduled, tell us about it. Tell us the days, the times, the
cost. Tell us who to contact for further information. Have some
local expert talk about it beforehand to generate interest. Maybe
a little "What's going on in Sports this week" box.

News is not just reporting what has happened, but what is
about to happen. At least it is in my opinion.

CAPT. JOHN A. DEVEREAUX

Jakarta