Jim Lehrer, Infotainment, and Luna Maya

• Do nothing I cannot defend.

• Cover, write and present every story with the care I would want if the story were about me.

• Assume there is at least one other side or version to every story.

• Assume the viewer is as smart and as caring and as good a person as I am.

• Assume the same about all people on whom I report.

• Assume personal lives are a private matter, until a legitimate turn in the story absolutely mandates otherwise.

• Carefully separate opinion and analysis from straight news stories, and clearly label everything.

• Do not use anonymous sources or blind quotes, except on rare and monumental occasions.

• No one should ever be allowed to attack another anonymously.

• And, finally, I am not in the entertainment business.

Appropriate timing given what’s been going on with regards to journalism and the infotainment industry in this country.

First hand account of the infotainment industry by Dewi Lestari, an author and musician, as well as one by her friend and colleague, Jenny Jusuf. Both in Indonesian. A very well written letter in English by Ve Handojo to the infotainment industry. 

These have been posted in response to the incident involving the model and actress, Luna Maya, which sparked a row between PWI (Indonesian Reporters Association) who felt insulted by her little blast against the infotainment workers and the AJI (Association of Independent Journalists) who supports her right to express her disdain and has distanced itself from those working in the infotainment industry.

Even more comical or perhaps pathetic is that the PWI is using the very law they fought against not too long ago to try and make an example of this woman. On the other hand, I’ve heard some people think this whole drama is concocted between the two parties. Regardless, this non-issue has been a distraction from other more important matters such as the failure of the Copenhagen summit to reach a deal to manage climate change, how efforts to combat corruption is facing opposition from certain higher ups, and why I’ll be working right through Christmas and New Year holidays.