National Press Day, Here is Message and Hope of PWI Jaya

National Press Day (HPN) is celebrated every February 9. The HPN commemoration also coincides with the anniversary of the Indonesian Journalists Association (HUT PWI).

We must work together

PWI Jaya Chairman, Syaid Iskandarsyah expressed his hope that the Indonesian press members would become stronger and more trusted, thus all arrangements in daily life and in the state could be carried out properly.

Regarding the code of ethics, he advised that every press member that chooses the profession of a journalist carry out their role based on journalistic principles and ethics.

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“That was without being asked if this profession was chosen by us. If I call on journalists, there is no choice but to obey the law, the code of ethics, regulations related to the press," he expressed, Thursday (2/9).

He also hoped that the welfare of press personnel would receive attention from the government and the media corporations themselves.

"This HPN has momentum, welfare issues must definitely be linked to the goodwill of the government and the media corporations themselves. We must work together to improve this welfare," he expressed.

Aside that, he asked for the synergy between journalists and Jakarta Provincial Government to be strengthened. Despite it was deemed that the synergy between the two has been built so far, he gave input to the Jakarta Government to be more open, not limited to only positive information.

"It is better if the communication should be realized immediately, thus effectiveness in terms of reporting the success of Jakarta Government can be properly exposed according to the expectations of good governance. In terms of interaction relations, communication must be built, there is still a pause as if this journalist is just a hassle," he explained.

PMI Jaya Urban Section Head, Nauli Basa Silitonga encouraged young journalists or those who had just started working as journalists to take the Journalist Competency Test (UKW) in a bid to become competent members of the press and comply with a code of ethics in carrying out journalistic duties.

That way, young journalists are prompted to continuously broaden their horizons, understand the Journalistic Code of Ethics (KEJ) and various regulations related to good reporting rules. Uli, as he is familiarly called, explained that PWI was only carrying out the mandate from the Press Council as the organizer of UKW.

“Obey this rule, UKW. It is indeed very important and needed in the future. Not only for those who join PWI, AJI, or ITJI. We don't see that, there's no compartmentalization. The importance of UKW measures the ability of journalists to carry out their journalistic code of ethics, there are standards," he asserted.

The Press Council has set a Press Council Regulation concerning Competency Standards for Journalists and Participants in the Journalist Competency Test to support and enhance the professionalism of journalists. There are three levels of competence for journalists sequentially from lowest to highest with certain competencies, namely starting from Young Journalists, Associate Journalists, and Main Journalists.

“That for every journalist to hold a position in their respective offices, they must pass UKW. For instance, for the requirement to become an Editor in Chief, you have to be a Major. Another influence going forward is that there is a government regulation that every media, both online and print, that can recommend advertisements from the government must be verified at the Press Council," he explained.

He added the Press Council itself had set a fee to participate in UKW worth Rp 1.2 million for the two days of the event.

"For instance, if the media corporation wants to hold it in its place, go ahead, later examiners will come from the Press Council, whose members are PWI and AJI as well," he closed.