What press freedom means

What press freedom means

Minister of Information Yunus Yosfiah has promised to return
what the Soeharto regime stole from the national press: its
freedom.

The statement, which is in line with the promised political
reform, brings with it a new horizon for the national press after
decades of structural darkness.

While the government still has to elaborate on the new policy,
we sincerely hope it means the revocation of all laws and
regulations which curtail all basic freedoms, and at the same
time offers no loopholes to the authorities to repeat the
shameful history of press bans. In the past, even the Indonesian
Journalist Association pushed the press into a corner.

Since press freedom is inseparable from other freedoms, such
as freedom of expression; of association; from fear; and freedom
to dissent, the government should also guarantee the freedom of
the legislative and judicial branches from administration
influence. This nation suffered beyond words during the
oppressive regime of president Soeharto, which only tolerated a
"don't-touch-the-regime" type of journalism during the last 24
years of his 32-year rule.

So when freedom does eventually return, we would be
unsurprised to see the national press befogged by the new
situation, just like a person coming out of a dark cave to be
blinded by the bright sun.

Even today, with a touch of freedom felt, editors still look
stunned at unchecked outspokenness, as if the sword of Democles
hangs over their heads. The picture is more than understandable
because they have lived under the threat of press bans for too
long, ever since a newspaper was tyrannically banned in 1974,
after a brief honeymoon with democracy.

The experience turns even more painful when one remembers how
editors in 1978 were forced to sign a pledge stating that they
would never criticize the first family. This was in order to have
their revoked publishing licenses reinstated. The muzzling of the
press was then used to the advantage of the ruling elite, in that
it felt free to practice nepotism, cronyism and corruption.

It is now a national responsibility to avoid a reoccurrence of
such a calamity by helping to advocate democracy. The press has
to play a pivotal role in this because it is a common phenomenon
in undemocratic countries that governments are still confused as
where to place the mass media in the system.

Here the authorities need not worry about press freedom
because the existing Criminal Code is enough to protect all
parties who find themselves discredited by media reports.

On the other hand, the press should make itself a credible
institution, avoid sensationalizing news and sticking to its Code
of Ethics. As an institution operating in a developing country,
it should also help educate people by speaking the truth and
refusing half truths from officials.

To boost the press' social responsibility, society has also a
role to play. It should set up an independent and active body to
supervise the quality of the press.

After years of nightmarish experiences, we believe the
national press has matured and will be able to perform its
constitutional right with integrity.