By: Amir Machmud NS *)
BY building self-respect, it means that journalists and the media respond to the respect of their partners.
I conveyed that statement in his inauguration speech as the Chairperson of the Central Java Province PWI for the 2020-2025 period at the Gradhika Bhakti Praja Building, Semarang, 27 October. The expression of respect for partners, in the form of institutional cooperation that has been established, in outline describes a symbiotic-mutualism interaction between the press and elements of government and society.
And, in the present context, the relationship of disrespect is different from what was “given” in the New Order era. At that time, the rulers’ repressiveness towards the press was manifested in the concept of “positive interaction” between the government, press, and society, which focused more on monologue accentuation.
In the understanding of the narrative initiated by the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, this interaction is expressed as “press patriotism”. In the book Media, Narasi Kepemimpinan, dan Normal Baru/Media, Leadership Narrative, and New Normal (2020), I raise the term “media-statesman”. Ideally, the estuary is the same, namely Red and White as a source of spirit, while the attitude of journalists and media emanates from the function of the Press Law to inform, educate, entertain, and social control by guarding transparency and accountability in state and government administration.
The “positive narrative” of reporting based on these functions has the substance of educating, providing knowledge, inspiring, raising exemplary, presenting pioneering, fostering optimism, setting aside pessimism, raising self-confidence, or more broadly giving common benefit.
In the context of respect, how do we make sense of it?
An important premise to initiate this discourse is, how can journalists and the media not respect themselves, when other parties respect us?
Respecting oneself, in relation to journalism and the media, of course has the meaning of building dignity by crowning professional honor. This “price” can be weighed from how strong professionalism is made into performance. The quality of professionalism at this level appears in a kaffah (comprehensive) manner between technical skills and a willingness for ethical exploration.
The prophetic “maqam” of journalism will be achieved with a complete balance of competencies. So the first test item in the Journalist Competency Test (UKW) that has been added since 2019 is the ability to understand and live up to Press Law and Journalistic Code of Ethics (KEJ). Previously, this test object did not yet exist, because the initial concept of a series of examinations at UKW was to position Press Law and KEJ as an integral part of other test subjects.
Respect for oneself can be manifested in efforts to improve competence and strengthen prophetic skills. The choice of this route is also a step to develop professional dignity, for example in the form of technical understanding in choosing news materials substantially and how to package them.
The concept of social responsibility in these journalistic and media agendas is bound by the reality of national interests, such as diversity, staying away from racial intrigues, and so on. In it flows journalistic and media awareness with a visionary level in the form of estuary appreciation or attitude orientation.
Public Responsibility
The responsibility of the publicity of the media is normatively inherent in the functions mandated by the Press Law and the interpretation of the points of the Journalistic Code of Ethics. The rest radiates as an objective interpretation in journalistic practice which is certainly in accordance with the proportionality of conditions and context.
In the book Adab Jurnalistik, I emphasize, there is more evidence of how the media plays a determinative role in finding, raising, opening up, then encouraging the resolution of public problems. The enthusiasm of media people may not only be driven by the orientation of “goodness” as a description of the ideal function of journalism, because there are other aspects related to journalism praxis due to the rapid development of information technology (Amir Machmud NS: 2017).
We can capture this ideal from the awareness of inspirational news models in the coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic, coverage of natural disasters, or coverage of the development of the world of tourism, for example. We can also find critical attitudes in the flow of news about the commotion of the Omnibus Law Cipta Kerja demonstration, recently. In fact, the development of news around the words of the Chairperson of the PDIP, Megawati Sukarnoputri, who criticizes the role of millennials, can be included in the vision of “the responsibility of the media’s publicity”.
Let’s look at Bill Kovach and Tim Rosenstiel in the legendary book Elements of Journalism. The code of ethics and the mission of journalism produce the same testimony. Its aim, as in the American Society of Newspaper Editors’ Code of Conduct, “to serve the common good by keeping the news informed to the people”. A popular phrase that later became a classic in praxis was, “Give light, and people will find their own way” (Kovach & Rosenstiel: 2004).
The problem is that media coverage has the power of determination. There will be tensions in the public atmosphere if the media do or do not report; reduce the weight of the news or increase the weight of it. So the willingness to choose weight, which means whether to be extraordinary or to be ordinary towards certain public issues, will surely determine the extent to which this responsibility and public respect is achieved. And, it will be felt on the influence of the power of opinion on certain public issues in society.
The most pronounced determination of reporting is in encouraging (ideally) pro-people decision making by certain authorities. Public voices are heard from the flow of opinion emitted by the media. This is where the “positive narrative” of the news finds a channel for the struggle for consideration in the newsroom of the media: what kind of packaging will it be processed, for what purpose.
These days, we follow the atmosphere of opinion at the public level from the presentation of the news about the Cipta Kerja Omnibus Law demonstration. Today and tomorrow, we can also observe the extent of the influence of the coverage of Megawati’s criticism of millennials. At the same time, the main opinion that dominates the news is the condition of this nation, which is still haunted by the Covid-19 pandemic with information related to government policies at various levels and enlightening efforts regarding the adaptation of new behaviors.
What narratives do we choose in the midst of this vortex? At the provincial and local levels, problems related to life and the common good are certain to arise and develop. Based on the vision of nationality, opening oneself to common interests is one of the media’s attitude choices, which of course can be aligned with its public respect.
Our task of publicity is to “give light, so that people find their way …” This light is what in editorial practice can be managed through agenda setting and framing that is full of virtue.
Virtue in public respect is what determines it.
* Journalist at suarabaru.id and Chairman of the PWI of Central Java Province
