Workers in limbo as radio station closes

JAKARTA: The fate of journalists working for Jakarta News FM remains uncertain with the radio station stopping operations three weeks ago due to an internal conflict among its owners.

"The management has yet to explain the problems to us since they decided to stop activities. They also took away all radio equipment from the office," Hendrik Siahaan, who chairs the company's labor union, said during a protest rally on Thursday.

Joining the protest were many listeners of the ill-fated radio station.

The radio was established in the 1970s by former information minister Ali Moertopo, with the initial name of Safari Radio.

In 1980s, Ali handed ownership to his colleague, FX Suradjo, who later granted 20 percent of the total shares to Purnomo, a retired middle-ranking naval officer, who also ran the radio's day-to-day operations.

Now, shareholders have become embroiled in a conflict, whose cause remains unclear.

In 1998, Safari Radio changed its name to Jakarta News FM and became the first news radio station in the capital to campaign for Indonesian reformation. --JP