18 Indonesian Journalists to Focus on New Media in Netherlands

Jakarta Globe, April 22, 2010

Eighteen journalists from six cities in Indonesia are heading to the Netherlands to study the latest developments in new media.

The journalists work for print and broadcast media in Jakarta, Pekanbaru, Bali, Semarang, Malang and Surabaya. They are members of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and recipients of this year’s StuNed scholarships provided by Nuffic Neso Indonesia.

Among them are Anita Rachman, a reporter from the Jakarta Globe, and Wahyu Dhyatmika, from Tempo weekly news magazine, who is also the chairman of AJI Jakarta.

“Media independence is still a problem in Indonesia even though we have enjoyed press freedom for 12 years,” Wahyu said on Wednesday at the program launch.

“We hope this training will enable us to have better knowledge of multimedia journalism, which can be a solution to strengthening media independence.”

The scholarship recipients will study at the Radio Netherlands Training Center for three weeks from next week and they will also attend an international conference on World Press Freedom Day on May 3.

Marrik Bellen, the Indonesian director of Nuffic Neso, said StuNed scholarships also had been awarded to journalists in 2007 and 2009. AJI is the third journalists’ organization to receive scholarships to help efforts to develop its members.

Bellen said good journalism was important for ensuring good governance.

Nuffic Nesso is a nonprofit organization commissioned by the Dutch government to manage the scholarship program and other higher education issues in the Netherlands.

In Indonesia, Nuffic Nesso provides consultation and information for Indonesians seeking scholarships in the Netherlands.