Tempo's `successor' must have editorial independence
JAKARTA (JP): Any magazine which succeeds the now defunct Tempo must have complete editorial independence, including freedom to accommodate public opinion, two members of the magazine's former management says.
Goenawan Mohamad, the former director of the news magazine, said on Saturday that while he had no intention of running another magazine, it was essential that the new gazette accommodate public opinion the way Tempo did.
On a separate occasion, Bambang Bujono, one of the five Tempo employees appointed to represent their colleagues, said he will make sure that the editorial content of any new magazine they might run will be no different from Tempo.
The employees of Tempo's publishing company, PT Grafiti Pers, have given their mandate to five of their colleagues to conduct efforts to obtain a new SIUPP or seek for other alternatives. The other four are Bambang Harymurti, Isma Sawitri, Toriq Hadad and Yopie Hidayat.
There have been a flurry of negotiations conducted by some of Tempo's directors and employees with potential investors to establish a new magazine.
Tempo, Indonesia's leading news magazine, lost its publishing license last month, with the government accusing it of repeatedly ignoring warnings about its editorial content. Two other magazines, DeTIK and Editor, were closed down for violating the terms of the licenses.
The government has since offered the three magazines the chance to apply for a new license, subject to changes in the shareholding structure and management. The magazines must also use new names.
Goenawan, during a public debate at the teachers' training institute, IKIP Jakarta, on Saturday, said name is not an issue.
Speak freely
What is more important is that the magazine can speak freely for the people. "Judging by the protests, it is apparent that this media is not owned by the editors, but by the public who reads it," said the former chief editor who helped found the magazine 23 years ago.
The executive board of the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) said on Friday that it had not received any requests for a recommendation of the new publishing licenses.
"We are all trying hard to regain the publishing licenses for the three magazines, but none of them have presented their request," PWI Chairman Sofyan Lubis was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.
The license is issued by the Ministry of Information at the recommendation of the PWI.
Bambang Bujono told the Post the five people appointed by the employees have not conducted any negotiations with outsiders concerning the possibility of establishing a new magazine.
However, Bambang said that the board of directors is believed to be conducting negotiations with powerful businesses.
He added that small groups of employees have also started making their own negotiations with various "outsiders".
Bambang said that the composition of shareholders in whatever new magazine might be created would not have an impact on its editorial content. He said this was because one of the prerequisites given by the employees was the need for editorial independence.
Meanwhile, the Association of Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), announced its intention to launch a weekly magazine and a tabloid, both dealing with current affairs, to follow on the success it has had with Republika daily newspaper, the Antara news agency reported.
Darwin Sitompul, a member of ICMI's Medan board, said the two new magazines had been planned long before the closure of Tempo, DeTIK and Editor. (pwn/emb)