Reflections on the Human Condition - Api-fellowships.org
Reflections on the Human Condition - Api-fellowships.org
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420 SESSION VI<br />
are helpful in developing <strong>the</strong> local mass media circle if<br />
it is operated with intenti<strong>on</strong>. As KIPPAS, its work is<br />
approved and accepted by <strong>the</strong> media in Medan. This<br />
group is very useful for <strong>the</strong> development of media - not<br />
just to help in developing professi<strong>on</strong>alism but also in<br />
urging <strong>the</strong> media in Medan to pay attenti<strong>on</strong> to o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
problems in society. I also studied <strong>the</strong> alternative media<br />
because even when <strong>the</strong>re are media in each regi<strong>on</strong>, if<br />
<strong>the</strong> directi<strong>on</strong> in media producti<strong>on</strong> is opposed to <strong>the</strong><br />
movement of <strong>the</strong> poor or <strong>the</strong> grassroots, alternative<br />
media will be <strong>the</strong> voice of <strong>the</strong> grassroots movement.<br />
For <strong>the</strong> lives of <strong>the</strong> local reporters in both countries, I<br />
sincerely pay homage to <strong>the</strong> good reporters - both <strong>the</strong><br />
corresp<strong>on</strong>dents of <strong>the</strong> current press and reporters of<br />
local papers - who tried to produce good work under<br />
limited resource as in <strong>the</strong> Philippines. In Ind<strong>on</strong>esia <strong>the</strong>re<br />
is no figure about <strong>the</strong> wages of <strong>the</strong> reporters but from<br />
interviews, I learned that <strong>the</strong> average wage of reporters is<br />
lower than that specified in <strong>the</strong> labor law. Reporters also<br />
work under dangerous c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. In <strong>the</strong> Philippines,<br />
reporters may be killed if <strong>the</strong>y reveal corrupti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
An interesting point about <strong>the</strong> presentati<strong>on</strong> of local<br />
news in <strong>the</strong> case of <strong>the</strong> Mindanews Website in <strong>the</strong><br />
Philippines is that it is a result of an argument between<br />
local reporters and <strong>the</strong> editors of <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al press <strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> point of <strong>the</strong> selling of news—what does society<br />
gain from it? Reporters in Mindanao Island raised this<br />
questi<strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al press that was always presenting<br />
war news from Mindanao. In fact, Mindanao is a c<strong>on</strong>flict<br />
area—<strong>the</strong>re is war between <strong>the</strong> central government and<br />
<strong>the</strong> separatist movement - but <strong>the</strong> questi<strong>on</strong> is why is<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly <strong>the</strong> news about <strong>the</strong> war being presented while<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are many o<strong>the</strong>r creative news stories in Mindanao<br />
that have been ignored? Many reporters tried to send<br />
<strong>the</strong>se news stories to <strong>the</strong> office but <strong>the</strong>y were rarely<br />
published. The image of Mindanao in <strong>the</strong> press is of<br />
a land of war, and what do <strong>the</strong> Mindanao people gain<br />
from that? This reporter group thus founded a website<br />
to be an alternative media where any<strong>on</strong>e can enter<br />
to read <strong>the</strong> details at www.mindanews.com. This is<br />
an illustrati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> struggle of <strong>the</strong> ideal of freedom<br />
between reporters and <strong>the</strong> media owners. At least, it is<br />
an example that shows <strong>the</strong> spirit of <strong>the</strong> reporters who<br />
would not be dominated by business. The alternative<br />
media will be a way of presenting qualified news, and<br />
will be <strong>the</strong> doorway to liberty.<br />
In Ind<strong>on</strong>esia after <strong>the</strong> despotic regime, <strong>the</strong>re are many<br />
<strong>org</strong>anizati<strong>on</strong>s that work c<strong>on</strong>cerning media both in<br />
Jakarta and o<strong>the</strong>r regi<strong>on</strong>s that are free from <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>trol<br />
of <strong>the</strong> government. They have different c<strong>on</strong>cepts<br />
and objectives, each <strong>on</strong>e to its own, but within <strong>the</strong>se<br />
Ref lecti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Human</strong> C<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>: Change, C<strong>on</strong>flict and Modernity<br />
The Work of <strong>the</strong> 2004/2005 API Fellows<br />
differences <strong>the</strong>re is still co-operati<strong>on</strong>, linkages and<br />
assistance c<strong>on</strong>cerning <strong>the</strong> freedom of <strong>the</strong> media and <strong>the</strong><br />
development of media quality. Now, <strong>the</strong> Ind<strong>on</strong>esian<br />
media is struggling with <strong>the</strong> Government when it<br />
uses <strong>the</strong> Criminal Law to c<strong>on</strong>sider disputes between<br />
reporters and news sources ra<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong> Press Law,<br />
and <strong>the</strong>y are pushing for <strong>the</strong> Government to issue an<br />
Informati<strong>on</strong> Law.<br />
REFERENCES<br />
Ables, Higino A., 2003. Mass Communicati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
Philippine Society. U.P. Press Printery Divisi<strong>on</strong>: Manila.<br />
Alamudi, Abdullah. Jakarta Post, 29 April 2005: 7.<br />
An<strong>on</strong>ymous. 2004. Media Scene: The Official Guide to<br />
Advertising Media in Ind<strong>on</strong>esia, 2004. PR.MediaRep<br />
Bangsa Bangsa, Jakarta.<br />
Gazali, Efendi. 2002. The Suharto Regime and its Fall<br />
through <strong>the</strong> Eyes of <strong>the</strong> Local Media, Internati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Journal For Communicati<strong>on</strong> Studies, SAGE Publicati<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>, 121-140<br />
Hidayat, Dedy N. 2002. ‘D<strong>on</strong>’t Worry, Clint<strong>on</strong> is<br />
Megawati’s Bro<strong>the</strong>r’: The Mass Media, Rumours, Ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
Structural Transformati<strong>on</strong> and Delegitimizati<strong>on</strong><br />
of Suharto’s New Order’, Internati<strong>on</strong>al Journal For<br />
Communicati<strong>on</strong> Studies, SAGE Publicati<strong>on</strong>s, L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>:<br />
163.<br />
Hill, David T. 1994. The Press in New Order Ind<strong>on</strong>esia.<br />
University of Western Australia Press Crawley.<br />
Maslog, Crispin C. 1994. The Metro Manila Press.<br />
Philippine Press Institute: Manila.<br />
Oetama, Jakob. 2005. Jakob reflects <strong>on</strong> past-looks<br />
ahead. Jakarta Post, 26 June 2005: 3.<br />
Savirani, Amalinda. 2005. The New Local Str<strong>on</strong>gmen<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Ind<strong>on</strong>esia Decentralizati<strong>on</strong>: The case of Bantal<br />
District, Yogyakarta. Paper presented at <strong>the</strong> Internati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Symposium of Journal<br />
ANTROPLOGI INDONESIA in <strong>the</strong> Changing Global<br />
C<strong>on</strong>text: Building Coorperati<strong>on</strong> and Partnership. Jakarta.<br />
12-15 July 2005.<br />
Tesorio, Jofelle. 2004. Breaking <strong>the</strong> Norms. Center for<br />
Community Journalism and Development: Manila.<br />
Interviews—Ind<strong>on</strong>esia<br />
Kecuk Sahana, Producti<strong>on</strong> Director of Unisi Radio,<br />
interviewed 26 April 2005.<br />
Arif Afandi, former editor of Java Pos, interviewed 4