Monday, September 26, 2005

PENDIDIKAN JURNALISTIK MAHASISWA TINGKAT PENGELOLA

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Teknokra di The Jakarta Post

Foto: dari kiri, Yudi, Mayna Satri, Roni Sepriono, Istri Endy Bayuni, Heni Fujiastuti, Endy M Bayuni, Rieke Pernamasari, Sabam Leo Batubara, Suci dan Irma Novita. Saya beruntung bisa bertemu Endy Bayuni Chief Editor The Jakarta Post, pada akhir september lalu. Teknokra mengundangnya menjadi fasilitator pelatihan jurnalistik mahasiswa se-indonesia. Mas Endy mengisi materi Manajemen Ruang Redaksi. Dia datang berdua istrinya sehari sebelum sesinya dimulai. Suaranya lembut menyapa panitia yang menyerbu bersalaman, dia juga menolak dibayari kamar hotel. Dia bilang, senang bisa membantu kami. Sore itu Endy tak mau diantar mencari hotel, dia akan mencarinya sendiri bersama istrinya yang kerap dipanggil sayang. Malam Hari Endy kembali ke Bapelkes, tempat pelatihan. Ia inggin ikut berdikusi dengan 17 wartawan pers mahasiswa dari bermacam propinsi. Bahasan diskusi malam itu 'Pers Hari Ini,' Budi Satoso Budiman wartawan Antara menjadi Modurator. Prosedur dan etika wartawan dalam mencari berita, menjadi fokus diskusi. Pers hari ini dipandang tidak lagi memperhatikan integritas sebagai pelayan publik, banyak pemilik media merangkap politikus, bahkan wartawannya juga. Sehingga dalam penyajian pakta cenrung sepihak. Ini memprihatinkan karna wartawan punya tanggungjawab sosial yang harusnya melebihi kepentinggan perusahaan atau golongan tertentu. Endy bilang "Perusahaan media yang mendahulukan kepentinggan masyarakat justru lebih menguntungkan ketimbang yang hanya memmentingkan bisnis," Lalu Endy menambahkan tanggungjawab harus dipupuk, media tempat dimana wartawan berkerja harus bisa menumbuhkannya. Salah satu contohnya adalah penulisan nama di bawah judul berita (Byline). Byline bukan hanya sebuah penghargaan untuk penulis, lebih jauh dia bisa menjadi pemantau kerja wartawan. Wartawan akan lebih berhati-hati dalam menulis. Karna jika tulisannya salah atau buruk, maka penilaian pembaca tidak hanya pada media tapi juga kepada wartawannya. Di indonesia The Jakarta Post mungkin termasuk suratkabar pertama yang memakai byline. Menurut Endy kebijakan ini dipakai sejak 1 Oktober 2001 ketika disain harian ini diubah --antara lain memakai warna merah pada logo. Hasilnya memang wartawan The Jakarta Post dipaksa menulis lebih baik karena kalau ada kesalahan atau ada yang melenceng, nama mereka bisa segera diketahui publik. Namun, hasilnya positif karena wartawan juga bisa membangun reputasi mereka. Diakhir diskusi Endy terheran menurutnya wawasan aktivis pers mahasiswa luar biasa, "wartawan saya bisa kalah pengetahuannya" Ucapnya, dia banyak bertanya tentang sejarah Teknokra pada saya, dia tertarik dengan aktivis pers mahasiswa yang mempelopori byline di Indonesia. Bahkan dia pernah mendengar khabar meninggalnya Saidatul Fitria fotografer Teknokra ketika aksi tahun 1998. Endy berjanji akan menulisnya di The Jakarta Post setibanya di sana. Ternyata benar dua minggu berselang koresponden The Jakarta Pos ,Oyos Saroso H.N. datang Meliput Teknokra. Yang saya tampilkan beritanya dibawah. Salam. The Jakarta Post National News - October 19, 2005 Student newspapers told to change their strategies Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung Student publications need to shift their direction as the social and political landscape has changed since their inception, a student activist says. In the New Order era, the student press' orientation was clear in that it was critical of the military-backed government. But, when the New Order government collapsed and press freedom flourished, student publications lost their direction, said Roni Supriyono, the editor in chief of Teknokra Magazine. "At the time of the New Order government, student publications ran many opinion pieces that challenged the repressive government. But now, as even the mainstream media can publish stories freely, student newspapers must change their strategies so their coverage is better," said Rony. However, to publish stories based on event coverage poses a challenge for these publications. The lack of students interested in journalism is another problem as are human resources and funding shortages. "Also, we cannot be fully independent as in terms of funding, we rely on the university. If we write stories critical of the university, we could be shut down," said Rony. Rony said that before going to print the editorial staff of Teknokra Magazine must submit a proposal to the university's rector to disburse the money. Four editions of the magazine come out a year, each edition costing Rp 35 million (US$3,500). Besides the university, the magazine relies on student donations. Teknokra also puts out a newsletter 15 to 20 times a year. Juwendra Ardiansyah, another student activist, agreed with Rony. He said that for the survival of the magazine it was important to maintain a good relationship with the university. "It is the price that we have to pay to survive," he said. Another weakness of Teknokra is that it is published quarterly. Many stories are outdated before the magazine is available to readers. This also makes it difficult for student publications to compete with weekly magazines or newspapers, said Juwendra. 'Teknokra' student publication strives for excellence National News - October 19, 2005 Student magazines are a means for students to express their thoughts and to groom future journalists. Yet, sadly, the number of such publications in the country is limited. One among the few prominent student publications in the country is Teknokra, of Lampung University in Bandarlampung, Lampung province. The Jakarta Post's stringer Oyos Saroso tells of Teknokra in this special report. It was 10 p.m. when several journalists of Teknokra student magazine arrived at the magazine's secretariat on Jl. Sumantri Brojonegoro here. They had just attended a meeting to discuss preparations for recruiting new reporters. The journalists had to return to their secretariat to select news coverage proposals lodged by new reporters and to complete the articles and lay out for Teknokra's newspaper edition. The students entered the secretariat and began to unpack the simple meals they had bought at a food stall near the university. They then ate while sitting on the floor, chatting about Teknokra's current affairs. The eight meter by 15 meter secretariat in the compound of Lampung University is a hive of activity day and night, as students hold many activities there. Besides working on the quarterly, 100-page Teknokra magazine, the students also produce a biweekly eight page newspaper. The students do not receive an honorarium or any financial incentive for the hard work they put in to report and write the stories. "We never think of material gain. Even if we were given an honorarium by the university, we would reject it in order to avoid any rumors that we were being co-opted," said Abdul Gofur, Teknokra's chairman. Gofur is the backbone of Teknokra along with Roni Sepriyono, the chief editor and Dede Sopyandi, the business manager. Although they are busy writing their theses, they have to ensure that Teknokra magazine and newspaper are published and distributed on time. The magazine and newspaper are distributed to 10,000 students at Lampung University. The money for the publications and distribution comes from a contribution of Rp 6,000 per semester given by Lampung University students. Lampung University also provides a major portion of the funding for Teknokra, which is one among several extra curricular activities at the university. Teknokra is one of the better known student publications among the country's universities, besides Balairung newspaper produced by students at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. Teknokra is well known because of its high quality journalism. Teknokra Magazine received an award from the Institute for the Study of the Free Flow of Information (ISAI) in 2002. ISAI named the magazine the second best student publication in the country that year. A year earlier, the magazine was named the fifth best student publication. The awards have boosted the enthusiasm of the Teknokra team to keep the publication alive. Teknokra is also considered one step ahead of other student publications. While other student publications fill their pages with opinion pieces, Teknokra has been developing stories based on event coverage since the reform movement in 1998. Teknokra has also encountered the common difficulties faced by student publications, namely dealing with the university, its main donor. Lampung University Rector Muhajir Utomo once threatened to close the student publication after Teknokra published stories on the university's women students who sought additional money as mistresses of high-ranking government officials in Lampung. Even Radar Lampung daily once threatened that it would take Teknokra's management to court after it reported on a Radar Lampung journalist who received bribes. Now, the student publication has to work harder as it has gone commercial in the past year. The magazine also receives advertisements from various quarters, including hotels, radio stations and even photocopy services. The public can subscribe to the magazine or they can buy it at bookstores across Lampung province.