TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Religious minority groups want fairer media coverage
Change Size
A discussion themed “Mainstreaming Religion Journalism” is participated in by (left to right) The Jakarta Post managing editor M. Taufiqurrahman, Timor Post chief editor Noemio Mateus Soares Falcao, detik.com chief editor Iin Yumiyanti, Tempo English chief editor Hermien Y. Kleden, and Rappler Indonesia managing director Uni Lubis at Multimedia Nusantara University in South Tangerang, Banten, on Wednesday. The discussion is part of the Joint Conference on Religion Journalism held from Oct. 17 to 19. (The Jakarta Post/Dhoni Setiawan)
“We, the Catholics, would be happier if there were no news about Catholics at all,” interfaith activist Johannes Haryanto said while commenting about media reports on Catholicism in Indonesia.
Johannes made the statement while speaking at a conference on religion journalism at Multimedia Nusantara University (UNM) in South Tangerang, Banten, on Wednesday. He said erroneous reporting and careless word choice could end up creating more problems.
For example, the word “deviant” had been carelessly used by the media to refer to a particular religious group.
“I was once invited by a TV talk show titled Deviant [in reference to a certain group],” he said.
“How could the media be so judgmental?” he questioned. “The media should provide a space for [contradicting sides to] meet, engage in dialogue and state their differences.”
Read also: EDITORIAL: Faith in journalism
The conference, which brought together dozens of religion journalists from across Asia and beyond, discussed better practices in covering religion and religious communities.
