Time for press to be criticized: Senior Journalists
Time for press to be criticized: Senior Journalists
By Santi WE Soekanto
MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): Senior journalists greeted with grace President Soeharto's criticism of the press in Indonesia and its occasional tendency to overstep its boundaries.
The president said that such infractions could place the nation at risk and suggested that it was now the press' turn to be open to criticism.
Jacob Oetama from Kompas daily, Albert Hasibuan of the Suara Pembaruan, and Sjamsul Basri of Suara Karya told The Jakarta Post that the criticism was timely and should be welcomed as an opportunity for the press to engage in self introspection.
In his speech at the National Press Day ceremony yesterday, Soeharto urged the press not to sacrifice idealism for an increased readership.
In the view of the three senior editors, the president's comments did not really address the questions of press freedom and were more a criticism of the press' proclivity for the sensationalized stories that today's readers crave.
Sjamsul Basri said the criticism should be accepted with an open mind. "The press is part of society and one of its functions is to control other institutions in the society," he said. "This means that the press, too, should be open to criticism coming from other parties".
"When President Soeharto spoke about how the press sometimes crosses the line and creates unrest, I believe he meant matters ... such as obscenity, which attack a public sense of propriety," Jacob said.
"The point is, the press doesn't have any option but to grow as an industry...and, in this process, conflicts of interests are bound to arise between the idealistic and commercial aspects of the press," he said.
"This is not an 'either or' choice. We need both idealism and commercialism," Albert Hasibuan said. "Capital does have an important role in the press industry, but if capital is allowed to run the whole show single-handedly, we'll end up with a sterile press."
Idealism
Idealism should still be the main force in the development of the press, he said. "We need skills, experience...idealism, to improve the quality of our press."
Jacob and Hasibuan agreed that President Soeharto was likely being critical of the press' coverage of domestic, social and political development issues.
"Perhaps the press wants to go further in its coverage ... and demand more transparency. It wants to bare all ... but this is not responsible," Jacob said.
He acknowledged that the Indonesian press has a number of limitations and needs to balance freedom with responsibility.
The discourse on press freedom and the responsibility of the press to preserve national stability is long-standing, and has never been completely resolved. The government usually stresses and calls on the "responsible" side of the press, while the press itself struggles for more openness and room for its reporting.
Last June, the government banned three major publications -- the news magazines Tempo and Editor and the tabloid DeTik -- for the way they reported news events and for administrative violations.
ASEAN
The National Press Day celebration, which will last until Sunday, is also being attended by a number of journalists from some member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Philippines, for instance, sent 15 journalists to take part in the activities.
One of the delegates, Leonilo G. Claudio, editor-in-chief of the Daily Express in Davao City, has visited Indonesia four times and has been observing developments in the Indonesian press.
Regarding the press ban, he said, "We have never had one in the Philippines, perhaps because we have a different system," he said.
"In any case, the Philippine press has always been liberal and would resent such pressure," he said. "But," he hastened to add, "if that is the way your country improves the quality of its press, good luck."