'Teknokra' student publication strives for excellence

Student magazines are a means for students to express their thoughts and to groom future journalists. Yet, sadly, the number of such publications in the country is limited. One among the few prominent student publications in the country is Teknokra, of Lampung University in Bandarlampung, Lampung province. The Jakarta Post's stringer Oyos Saroso tells of Teknokra in this special report.

It was 10 p.m. when several journalists of Teknokra student magazine arrived at the magazine's secretariat on Jl. Sumantri Brojonegoro here. They had just attended a meeting to discuss preparations for recruiting new reporters.

The journalists had to return to their secretariat to select news coverage proposals lodged by new reporters and to complete the articles and lay out for Teknokra's newspaper edition.

The students entered the secretariat and began to unpack the simple meals they had bought at a food stall near the university. They then ate while sitting on the floor, chatting about Teknokra's current affairs.

The eight meter by 15 meter secretariat in the compound of Lampung University is a hive of activity day and night, as students hold many activities there. Besides working on the quarterly, 100-page Teknokra magazine, the students also produce a biweekly eight page newspaper.

The students do not receive an honorarium or any financial incentive for the hard work they put in to report and write the stories.

"We never think of material gain. Even if we were given an honorarium by the university, we would reject it in order to avoid any rumors that we were being co-opted," said Abdul Gofur, Teknokra's chairman.

Gofur is the backbone of Teknokra along with Roni Sepriyono, the chief editor and Dede Sopyandi, the business manager.

Although they are busy writing their theses, they have to ensure that Teknokra magazine and newspaper are published and distributed on time. The magazine and newspaper are distributed to 10,000 students at Lampung University. The money for the publications and distribution comes from a contribution of Rp 6,000 per semester given by Lampung University students. Lampung University also provides a major portion of the funding for Teknokra, which is one among several extra curricular activities at the university.

Teknokra is one of the better known student publications among the country's universities, besides Balairung newspaper produced by students at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

Teknokra is well known because of its high quality journalism.

Teknokra Magazine received an award from the Institute for the Study of the Free Flow of Information (ISAI) in 2002. ISAI named the magazine the second best student publication in the country that year. A year earlier, the magazine was named the fifth best student publication. The awards have boosted the enthusiasm of the Teknokra team to keep the publication alive.

Teknokra is also considered one step ahead of other student publications. While other student publications fill their pages with opinion pieces, Teknokra has been developing stories based on event coverage since the reform movement in 1998.

Teknokra has also encountered the common difficulties faced by student publications, namely dealing with the university, its main donor. Lampung University Rector Muhajir Utomo once threatened to close the student publication after Teknokra published stories on the university's women students who sought additional money as mistresses of high-ranking government officials in Lampung.

Even Radar Lampung daily once threatened that it would take Teknokra's management to court after it reported on a Radar Lampung journalist who received bribes.

Now, the student publication has to work harder as it has gone commercial in the past year. The magazine also receives advertisements from various quarters, including hotels, radio stations and even photocopy services.

The public can subscribe to the magazine or they can buy it at bookstores across Lampung province.