Journalists Welfare measure Synopsis:

INDUSTRIAL PRESS, including press freedom, does not stand alone and apart from its surroundings. The development of an industrial press, always dependent on the social, economic, and political environment. Conversely, the development of the press, of course, also influenced the development of social, economic, and environmental politics in the press. This interdependence, not only on the nature and content of news, but also concerns journalists welfare. In countries that have good levels of economy and demand for information is high, then the welfare level is also relatively good journalists, equipped with various support businesses such as insurance, bonuses and so forth. In contrast, in developing countries, including Indonesia, whose economy has not developed and not very stable, with a society that still relies on the struggle to meet basic needs, welfare levels are also on the position of journalists who are still deprived. The presence of a book by Fleet Sukardi Vienna, through his research in the central cities of the growth of the Indonesian press, reinforce it.

Compared with the income level of other professions, professional Indonesian journalists from the financial aspect, has not been demonstrated as a profession that can provide establishment. In addition, a relatively low income, working as a journalist just as prone to the unpredictability of kekaryawanannya status. Companies often fall in wake of press, if you do not want to be called a bankrupt, makes every moment a journalist can lose his job, as well as lost income.

This state, bringing a variety of impacts into the world of the Indonesian press. One of them, appears symptoms "journalist"-Abal Abal, journalist "envelope" until journalists blackmailer. Actual "journalists" of this kind do not implement the task of the press, but more to make money without anything to do with the job of the press. But the presence of "journalist" has damaged the image of the actual profession of journalist. In the broader spectrum, it can interfere with the implementation of freedom of press.

One of the functions of the Press Council is to maintain the independence of the press. If freedom of the press is running well, the future can be very helpful democratic process. In a democratic country, the nation's economy can also grow in an open and fair. This creates a situation conducive opportunities for journalists who truly professional. In such circumstances, high and low income level journalists in such countries will be determined by the achievement or the professionalism of journalists themselves. Qualified and professional journalists will be accepted by the market as well, thus providing a good level of welfare as well. Conversely journalists who are not professional or fewer behavior will only be given the appropriate level of welfare with the level of ability. Then the reporters will be competing to become a professional journalist. This is where freedom of the press will create conducive conditions for journalists to compete in a healthy and professional, including the matter of welfare.

This book is one of the efforts of the Press Council to obtain more accurate data about the welfare of Indonesian journalists. This study reveals how low the facts pertaining to the welfare of journalists. During this low level of salaries journalists still form assumptions alone. But with this study, the assumption was changed into a hard irrefutable facts. The existence of such data would sharpen our analysis in dissecting knife problems that arise in the world press. Sharpness improvement is needed to generate alternatives to the obvious solution. For that the Press Council fully supports this kind of book publishing.

Jakarta, August 20, 2009

Prof. Dr. Ichlasul Amal, MA

Chairman of Press Council