From: mnf0642@hertz.njit.edu (mnf)
Newsgroups: alt.culture.indonesia
Subject: Portuguese vs. Indonesian media/A reply by an East Timorese
Date: 15 Nov 92 17:17:16 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.


	I got this message from an East Timorese, as a follow up to a message
	posted on soc.culture.portuguese, who asked me to post it 
	for him on soc.culture.portuguese. Yet, some people suggested that it
	would be enriching and fair to also post this message on 
	alt.culture.indonesia. 

	Nuno
----------
Dear Andri,

I read your reply to Nuno, and I'd like to comment upon as an East Timorese
living abroad.

You wrote:
<we have a lot of newspapers and private radio network there is one private
<TV network.

    Yes, you're right Andri. That private TV network also only began to
    operate not long ago. And you know who owns it: one of the sons of 
    Suharto.

<we have 27 provinces, in each of them there about 20 newspapers (more or
<less) and in each province there hundreds of radio networks.

    Gosh! This is the first time I've heard of such a 'sensational
    achievement' after living for several years in Java (sometime ago). Can
    you possibly mention JUST ONE newspaper from East Timor (TIM TIM)? And
    how many do you think there are actually in each of other provinces such
    as NTT, Irian Jaya, NTB, the whole Kalimantan and Sulawesi? I bet you can
    count them with your fingers (not more than 5 in most of the cases).
    Unless you include in the same list all the stuff such as periodicals,
    journals, brochures, leaflets, and others.

    And about radio network, again, can you mention ONLY ONE private radio
    network that you know might exist in East Timor apart from the state-
    owned RRI?  I know there are several in other provinces, but please don't
    exaggerate the figures!

<If the newspaper always follows the government policy blindly nobody will 
<buy it while the owner wants to make money...

    You are implying that for the sake of profit the newspapers (in Indonesia)
    do not always have to follow the government policy. In other words, they
    can criticize the government in the form of social control (not
    necessarily having to oppose to it). As far as I know, this is not the
    case in Indonesia. Everybody knows how the government keeps a close eye
    (censorship) on all newspapers (including all printing materials). I think
    there is no need to mention one by one the long list of cases of
    government intervention in the press (you know by yourself). Three cases
    might illustrate my argument: the case of Sinar Harapan (now Suara
    Pembaharuan) several years ago, the case of Monitor a couple of years ago,
    and the case of Indonesian journalists sacked for publishing an article
    related to the massacre in East Timor last year (I'm not sure about the
    name of the newspaper/periodical).
    Your 'logic' is simple, but false. The reality shows that newspapers can
    still make a lot of profit without necessarily opposing the government.
    KOMPAS, the largest national daily newspaper in Indonesia is a good example.
    The biggest risk in the business is to be ordered to close-down by the
    authorities if you don't comply with them. 

Regards,

An East Timorese
Newsgroups: alt.culture.indonesia