The 'Post' turns 19

The 'Post' turns 19

The Jakarta Post marks its 19th year of continuous publication
today, with no pomp or fanfare and, no doubt, the anniversary
will almost go unnoticed by the public it strives to serve. Yet,
in the 19 years since its first appearance on April 25, 1983,
major developments have transpired and changes taken place, the
importance of which this newspaper has striven to convey to the
public, both in news reports and commentaries, as well as
conditions and circumstances will allow.

Within the context of informing and enlightening the public
through news, news analyses and constructive debate, all the
staff and management of The Jakarta Post can honestly pledge to
its readers that this newspaper will always strive to be true to
its initial commitment to what Walter Williams, of the University
of Missouri School of Journalism, so aptly termed the "journalism
of humanity", which encompasses such universal values as freedom,
justice and human dignity.

Not so long ago, a debate was held by a forum of editors of
Jakarta's mainstream media on what the role of the media should
be in such snarled-up conditions as exist in this country at
present. Should the media be content with merely being recorders
of history, or should it do more? After some debate, the
conclusion accepted by the meeting was that the media owed it to
the public to share the burden of responsibility for either the
success or failure of democratic reform with other sectors of
society. Within the limits of its ethical and professional
standards the media should contribute to building democracy in
this country. This is what this newspaper has committed itself to
do.

In our present condition of uncertainty caused by the
prolonged economic, social and political crisis, meanwhile,
change appears to be taking place more quickly all around us,
giving rise to both concern and opportunity, which we feel the
public should accurately be informed about. It is for this reason
that the Post is now striving to reengineer the newspaper to make
it ready for a future in which a more enlightened press is
clearly needed -- one that is better equipped to impart meaning
to the accelerated pace of development.

Internally, this means, among other things, retraining,
reorganizing and restructuring the newspaper and its staff to
make it more adept at informing the public, as objectively and as
accurately as possible, of what is really going on in this
country and the world. One of the byproducts of these efforts and
certainly the most visible to the public -- although not
necessarily the most substantial one -- is the redesigning of the
newspaper's appearance, with which readers have now been familiar
for some time.

Obviously, however, reengineering a newspaper is an ongoing
process and, in the case of Indonesia, one that is being
complicated by the fact that in the past four years since the
reform process was set in motion, the shift from authoritarian
rule to democracy has not been moving in the desired direction.
At the same time, with access available to all kinds of
information, brought by an increasingly sophisticated media, the
public should have access to the information it really needs in
order for it to develop into a true civil society. As things are
at present, the public is being inundated by a flood of media
information. However, the information that is capable of
imparting relevant meaning to the nation remains inadequate.

Under such circumstances, what we at the Post need most of all
is feedback from the public, both to help us pass through this
period of transition toward democracy and to encourage the public
to expand the ongoing public debate on current issues. In our
current state of growing public apathy, debate is certainly
needed more than ever. If we reject debate, we must not blame
others if the nation should fail in its current drive for reform.
That is why the Post wishes to contribute to the attempt to
encourage a public debate that is both free and constructive.

In conclusion, we would like to thank all our readers for the
support that they have given us over the years. Their support has
certainly helped us move forward on the long and rocky path
toward becoming a mature newspaper and, hopefully, toward the
attainment of democracy in the not-too-distant future.

Of course, over those years too, we have made many mistakes,
sailing, as it were, in uncharted waters. We sincerely apologize
for those mistakes with the promise that we intend to do all that
is possible within our limited means to prevent them from
recurring in the future. The Post has been able to survive
through thick and thin throughout these past 19 years due to the
support of its readers. We thank you for your trust, with an
assurance that we will never take that trust for granted.