Bogus reporters seek government money

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 10/17/2006 10:29 AM

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang

In scenes that could threaten the media's credibility in Central Java, hundreds of people claiming to be journalists have visited government offices in the provincial capital Semarang in recent days to ask for Idul Fitri money from the very people they should be covering.

However, there are questions as to whether the people involved are working journalists or are posing as members of the media to get a handout.

At the Central Java provincial administration office, up to 500 people claiming to be journalists representing various media have come in search of a holiday bonus.

Agus Utomo, head of the mass media section at the provincial public relations and information agency, said all of the ""journalists"" were required to produce identity cards.

""How much money they were given, I don't know. I have nothing to do with the matter,"" he said.

There have also in recent days been crowds of ""journalists"" near the entrance gate to the office of the Central Java governor.

In order to receive an Idul Fitri bonus, they are required to submit copies of their press cards issued by their companies, as well as copies of published articles.

On the 11th floor of the provincial administration building, a people are lining up to prove they are real journalists. Many of them carry what they say are their clippings in plastic folders.

Similar scenes are playing out in Semarang city administration offices.

An official in the administration's public relations section, who asked not to be identified, said his office was giving journalists Rp 50,000 (about US$5.25) to Rp 100,000 each.

""When they are asked to show articles they have written about Semarang city, many of them cannot produce the articles. They always come here before Idul Fitri,"" he said.

The head of the Semarang chapter of the Independent Journalists Alliance, Ardiansyah Harjunantyo, said the people seeking handouts might work for media companies but they were definitely not real journalists.

""They might be able to prove they work for a media company, but their attitude violates the journalistic profession. Asking for money from story sources violates the journalistic profession,"" he said.

Ardiansyah said this was similar to the New Order era, when there were so-called wartawan bodreks; people who claimed to be journalists but did not practice the profession. These bogus journalists simply asked for money from people they interviewed.

""Now the wartawan bodreks no longer exist, but their spirit prevails. In order to wipe out this attitude, I ask all news sources to turn down requests for money. If they persist, report them to the police.

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