Journalism Students in Jakarta

By Angela Romano
Pilot JPP Project Officer
Queensland University of Technology
Originally published in JEA Update

Thirteen students from five Australian universities undertook study and newsroom intemships in Indonesia in 2002 as part of the pilot program of the in country Journalism Professional Practicum (JPP). It was organised by the national non profit Australian Consortium for 'In-Country' Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) with the sponsorship of the Australia Indonesia Institute.

The students survived floods, an earthquake and press conferences with John Howard. One student, Nicky Haydon, presented a report in Jakarta for TVRI's English language news. Students reported on a wide range of topics, including Prime Minister John Howard's visit with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Students worked alongside (or observed) Australian foreign correspondents and local journalists at the Presidential Palace.

The students undertook four week intemships with a range of news organisations, after completing two weeks of intensive study in language, culture, history and politics at Atma Jaya Catholic University in Jakarta. During the initial study period, students witnessed an earthquake, albeit one so small that their teachers initially thought it was just the wind blowing through the trees outside the classroom. It seemed something interesting to write home about, even if most news organisations thought it too inconsequential to cover for the next day's papers.

Soon after, however, Jakarta was inundated by severe floods that led to loss of life, forced thousands from their homes and caused millions of dollars of damage. While the students themselves lived in areas that were relatively unaffected by the floods, the experience brought many salutary lessons for students hoping to become foreign correspondents or to cover the complexities of developing countries. At the simplest level, there were the lessons about how deadlines and story ideas are affected when flooding has closed many offices, electricity supplies are erratic, and it takes you hours to reach even nearby destinations. The floods themselves provided innumerable simple but dramatic stories that even newcomers to Indonesia, with little knowledge of local history or politics, could cover. Then there were the intricacies of follow up stories about how the devastation of the forces of nature were compounded by bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption and mismanagement.

The students' internships involved a mix of reporting, sub editing and producing activities, with the balance of activities varying considerably depending on which news organisation they had been placed with. Organisations that supported the JPP by accepting one or two student interns to work with their English language news services were Antara News Agency, Associated Press, Indonesian Business, Indonesian Tatler, The Jakarta Post, Metro TV, Roving Insight magazine, Tempo, TVRI and Voice of Indonesia (Radio Republik Indonesia). Rantau magazine also provided an additional one week placement for one student. Media organisations that accepted interns were enthusiastic about the experience, with some editors wanting to accept even more students next time.

Of those students who concentrated on research and reporting rather than production elements of journalism, some managed to publish or broadcast as many as nine lengthy stories. The JPP organisers arranged for special passes to allow all students to visit the Presidential Palace to cover (or watch) the President Megawati and Prime Minister John Howard media conference. Students also reported on the floods, business activities, Australian-Indonesian bilateral relations, local political issues, Jakarta's social scene, holiday destinations and many other topics. In an end-of-trip, anonymous feedback questionnaire, one wrote: "I had the opportunity to gain work experience that I never would have had in Australia. I met ambassadors, diplomats, ministers, prostitutes and shoe shiners - it was such a broad experience."