REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Nasihin Masha, Editor-in-chief of Republika
"As a journalist, our responsibility is to our readers. Everything we know, or what we think, first of all is those of the readers. Not belong to a politician who happened to be a friend." (David S Broder, journalist)
"The theory of a free press is that truth will emerge from reporting freely, not that the truth will be presented perfectly and immediately in the interest of a person." (Walter Lippmann, journalist).
Year 2014 was a year of politics. Everybody knows it. There are parliamentary (DPR) elections and local legislatives (DPRD). There DPD and also presidential election. The latter is the hottest one.
In fact, there are newspapers that officially provide support (endorsement) on one candidate in their editorials. This is the first time in the history of the Indonesian press. All this time, some of the Indonesian press once or often provides support covertly or overtly but never verbally. In the last election, it is not a rare thing to find Indonesian press supported covertly or overtly in its message [to a particular candidate]. However, there is media which remain impartial and neutral.
In the print media, the heat was not directly felt, but in the online media, it was quite pronounced. While in the community, especially in social media and broadsides, the heat was nakedly expressed. Attacking and overturn each other images.
In the election, friction is something usual; the difference [with a non-election period] is the issue. In the latest presidential election, there are the issue of religion, race, economic class, personal character, and family background. As if Indonesia split in two. There is a buildup of issues in one basket, and the buildup of other issues in other baskets. This division is similar with the situation in the Guided Democracy period, although there are differences here and there.
In the circumstances it was not easy for the media to put themselves proportionally. All, except that provide an open endorsement, usually would say to be independent, neutral, and impartial. In this situation, the press requires a mirror: scientific research from researchers and academics. That way, the public could assess them more objectively.
However, until now we have not received information yet research publications about the attitude of media in the last election. One disadvantage of this country is a scarcity of researchers but it is easy to find commentators.
When Jokowi visited Republika in the presidential campaign-Prabowo was not visiting, Prabowo also never meet the demand for a special interview from Republika-I, as the editor-in-chief, expressed the official stance of Republika openly in this election. Republika provided support to the two president-vice presidential candidates.
Republika prohibited black campaign news. Usually on issues that cannot be verified it is truth and a slander. It means, Republika rejected a non factual reporting’s. The existence of sources from the two parties did not give any legitimacy to such information.
Presenting the objectivity, although the situation was quite hot, Republika still deliver negative news (negative campaign). It was done to foster public criticism against the candidates in a number of issues.
The basic attitude of the press is a critic. If the press could not be critical, so the designation of press on such media is ended. It has turned into a funnel, newsletters, PR, propaganda tools, and so on. At this point, endorsement by the media is questionable in the world of journalism-as the endorsement is not a mainstream phenomenon in the world although it is practiced by a number of important media, especially if the owner is affiliated to one candidate.
That's what was reminded by Lippmann: reportage, whatever good it was, will not produce anything to the intended truth if we are affiliated [to a particular side] alias a no interest free. Criticism is the nature of the press. The press is not a vehicle for the show as an entertainer, because to make particular people happy is not journalism.
In the first edition, the Indonesia Raya daily wrote "[We] stood outside all political parties or political affiliations .... We will refrain from political reporting bias, the benefit of one group to the detriment of other groups." The Newspapers, which are among others founded by Mochtar Lubis, was confirmed their attitude. He chose to be jailed or to be shit downed rather than being stuck in biased political news. Indonesia Raya has become a legend of neutral, objective, and impartial press towards power.
Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla- who paired into presidential and vice presidential candidates in the last election-are the recipient of Republika's Figure of Changes 2010 award. Hatta Rajasa -who became vice presidential candidate for Prabowo-also received the same award in the following year. Therefore, Republika have noted them as figures that have recognition in the achievements and performances. In fact, the award was given to Jokowi when he was still mayor of Solo and before his name was popularised by Esemka issues and issues of his refusal for mall building in the old ice factory Sari Petojo location, which he was at odds with the governor of Central Java at the time, Bibit Waluyo.
Neutrality, keeping distance, and independence of the press in the political issues of power required different treatment than other issues. Politics is full of traps, volatile, and prone to emotions and interests, especially for reporters in politics. Mary McGrory, the Washington Post reporter and a Pulitzer winner, ever reminding behavior journalists in politics who are so attached to their world: "If you ask all political journalist to sit down in a room, then let stand only those who have not been giving advice to a politician, hardly a dared to stand up.”
By coincidence, the last election was "special" compared to previous elections. Its tugs and emotions are so strong and thick. I feel it directly. During 21 years as a reporter and through six elections, [I feel] the last election was the most complicated for the press. Therefore, I need to give a special briefing to give the general line of policy to reporters of Republika. That's what I always tell to many parties, including to Jokowi when they visit to Republika.
We can call it an anomaly in the history of the Indonesian press. Direction and tendency of the press to a particular side so noticeably. Moreover, a number of media is owned by the chairman of political parties. Most media owners are also associated in political battles.
Public is become so skeptical to the press. The presence of social media also offers a new pattern in the last election battle. All parties deployed social media troops to seize young voters (the average age of the population of Indonesia is approximately 27 years old) and to form an opinion.
They become hidden forces. News from a particular media can be interpreted according to their interests and encouraged them via Facebook, Twitter, blogs, BBM group, or Whatsapp, even on the comments in online media news. The translucent white could be diverted in to a dirty black and vice versa. Press enters the vortex created by it.
It is not easy for Republika to swim in such sea. Past experience can be its own handicap. As the Muslim community newspaper and one of the candidates was associated to be backed by Muslim voice also became a separate variable.
However, with the consistency of attitude, strictly on the procedures and rules of journalism, as well as bright line policies, then all of that, thank God, can be passed well. Indeed, sometimes it was stumble, but generally fully passable. The residue will always be there, and it will be the next test stone.
On Sunday, January 4, 2015, yesterday, Republika is on its 22 years old. The ride was long enough for this media. Let us ponder the words of Ernest Hemingway, the poet and playwright: "What good is that I feel good afterward, and the bad thing is that I feel bad afterward." It is time for the Republika to contemplate, as well for the nation, to the mighty future of Indonesia.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika