MEDIA CAN SERVE AS BRIDGE BETWEEN CULTURES AND SOCIETIES

Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

JAKARTA, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Media in all forms can potentially serve as a
bridge between cultures and societies, Former Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali
Alatas said.

He said the often stated goal of the media was to inform and educate
readers
and viewers.

"Yet primarily because of the strong pressure exerted by practical politics
and market forces in today's world, the production of quality news and
programming that present a balanced potrayal of foreign cultures was hampered,"
he said in his address at the opening of the Asia-Pacific Regional Media
Programme here Tuesday.

The programme, held from Tuesday until Nov 13 with the theme "Journalism at
the Intersection of Politics, Religion and Culture", was endorsed by the East
Asia Summit (EAS) and organised by the New Zealand government.

It is sponsored by the European Union and the Norwegian government and
supported by the Indonesian government and the Indonesian Press Council.


A separate one-day interactive workshop organised by the Alliance of
Civilizations Secretariat and Search for Common Ground non-governmental
organisation will follow the programme on Nov 13-14.

Also present were New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia Philip Gibson and EU
Ambassador Julian Wilson.

According to Alatas, "We have to admit that journalism in many countries
lack press freedom."

"Where such freedom exists, the influence of politics and market forces
often result in the irresponsible practice of these freedoms. Only objective
reporting and the presentation of diverse perspectives can prevent stereotypes
and misinterpretation," he said.

He said increased access of Muslim populations to news produced by Muslim
sources had raised popular awareness of events in Palestine, Iraq and
Afghanistan.

In the West, he said, a more nationalistic, and at times anti-Muslim tone,
had become more evident in news and commentaries, especially since September 11.


Accompanying this trend, Alatas said, was the advent of the "new
media".

"The Internet and the development of digital media production and
distribution have opened new fields for media consumers and have vastly
increased people-to-people communication," he said.

He said the power of words and images "in shaping our understanding and
view of the world cannot be overestimated."

"Concrete measures need to be taken to ensure accurate, balanced and
responsible reporting," he said.

Alatas said the measures could include the development and implementation
of a voluntary code of conduct by media professionals.

He said more resources from public and private donors should be channelled
to the production of media materials aimed at cultivating positive social
attitudes between cultures.

Alatas said it could also include the development of training programmes
designed to enhance the capability of media to inform the public accurately and
in a balanced way on topics where politics and religion intersect.

He said the production of television programmes, films and other electronic
media materials aimed at improving mutual understanding between different
cultures should also be encouraged to enhance respects towards diversity.

This might not solve every crisis caused by ignorance, prejudice and
misunderstanding between faiths, cultures and civilisation "but they will
greatly help in making these problems more manageable," he said.
-- BERNAMA