Tempo's `successor' must have editorial independence
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)