(ISAI/IFEX) – According to ISAI, a coalition of six free speech organisations, which include the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), ISAI and the Dr. Sutomo Press Institute, have issued a statement on media reform. It includes several points, such as licensing, foreign ownership, etc.. The coalition, called the Media Reform Committee, opposed newsprint subsidies to […]
(ISAI/IFEX) – According to ISAI, a coalition of six free speech
organisations, which include the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI),
ISAI and the Dr. Sutomo Press Institute, have issued a statement on media
reform. It includes several points, such as licensing, foreign ownership,
etc..
The coalition, called the Media Reform Committee, opposed newsprint
subsidies to publications, saying that the money is better off given to
other needy people, rather than to publishers (such as giving subsidies to
the poor to buy their food and medicine).
However, other media organisations, especially the Association of Indonesian
Publishers (SPS) and the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI),
consistently asked for the newsprint subsidies. The government of President
B. J. Habibie finally agreed to give the subsidies, but surprisingly, he
issued a statement saying that every working journalist should have a
“licence”, similar to practicing doctors.
The coalition of free speech organisations opposes such a controversial
decision. Unfortunately, Parni Hadi, the PWI secretary general and a close
associate to Habibie, is among the few journalists who support the idea.
Background Information
According to news reports, the government of President B. J. Habibie is
trying to ensure positive news coverage of his administration by offering
subsidies on newsprint to financially strapped publications. However,
Habibie is also proposing a system of licensing for journalists (see IFEX
alert of 22 July 1998).
