BTW: Memo Johnny
Gerard Plate: Serve us something better
Greetings Goodsir,
First congratulations on
becoming Communications and Informatics Minister. We could create a better acronym than
Menkominfo. How about Commumin? However this might be misconstrued as you’re
really a member of NasDem.
Your party leader Surya
Paloh has Metro TV. Some unkind commentators (is there another
type?) claim that anytime the bearded boss wants regulations tweaked he’ll just
speed-dial your number.
That’s unfair because
you’ll also be taking calls from Hary Tanoesoedibjo’s daughter Angela who might
want to tell you about her Pop’s MNC media
group.
You know Hary as a former
NasDem man before starting his own Perindo party, as billionaires do when
miffed. He’s Donald Trump’s mate, if
such a thing is possible, so watch your words or you’ll become fake news.
Although the young lady is
Deputy Minister of
Tourism and Creative Economy she used to run GTV and RCTI
so will have ideas aplenty to improve your job.
Fortunately
you’re an independent thinker who knows his responsibility is to the people,
not the party.
The
Australia-educated Angela brought Bedah
Rumah (Home Renovations) and Duit
Kaget (Shocking Money) to our screens.
MNC also runs the Miss Indonesia
contest. How these programs marry with President Joko Widodo’ s desires for a Negeri Pintar (Clever Country) is a fakta misterius.
I’m sorry Pak, but your Cabinet mates might sneer from
their lofty positions in Defence, Religion, Health and Education, also known as
Shoot, Pray, Vomit and Yawn, but be comforted:
Your job is equally important.
For sure you’ll be no
remote controller letting others grab the device to change channels or mute the
sound.
As ultimately responsible
for what we peasants, aka comms’ fodder, know about the world, we ask you
handle your precious portfolio with care.
Some will say we only want funny or frightening fare to escape reality,
but as an educator you know otherwise.
You’ll encounter a few
investigative journalists in your job.
They’re not the enemy; Trump lies.
Treat them as patriots trying to make this democracy a wholesome place
for future generations. Don’t give them jail
time for insulting the nation’s leaders by speaking truth to power.
Be alert Sir, there’ll be
badmouths should you stand for media freedom, so here’s a tip: Quote the late US broadcaster Ed Murrow: ‘A
nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.’
From your long dealings
with Catholic education you know the media is one of Democracy’s Four Pillars
holding high our civilized society, along with the Legislature,
the Executive and the Judiciary.
Sure, that’s
an old-fashioned view. Cynics say the media’s role today is to
deliver eyeballs to ads and earn a few folk a lot of coin.
May I
respectfully suggest you use the next five years to really make a difference? You’ll have read of Scottish engineer Lord
John Reith who became Director-General
of the British Broadcasting Corporation
almost a century ago.
Like you he knew little of
broadcasting before taking the job, but fought governments for the BBC’s
independence. He was also a prude and a
fascist, but that’s another story.
Reith believed the
airwaves belonged to all. His media principles
known as Reithianism included ‘an equal consideration of all viewpoints,
probity, universality and a commitment to public service’.
His goal was to broadcast
all that’s best in human knowledge, endeavor and achievement. ‘To inform,
educate and entertain’ is still the BBC’s mission statement,
also claimed by the US Public Broadcasting Service.
That sounds pretty
fuddy-duddy now, leading to the BBC and its overseas models being labeled
‘Aunty.’ But research suggests the
public is fed up with sinetrons and
wants substance.
The
TED (Technology, Entertainment,
Design) videos are hugely popular.
British educator Sir Ken Robinson’s 20-minute talk Do schools kill creativity? has drawn 64 million views. No fisticuffs, phantoms and see-thru plots -
just words.
National Geographic TV is a must-watch for progressive families
everywhere, rightly famous for its quality programs.
So
Minister, what will be your legacy come 2024?
Here’s your chance. Start Channel Nusantara
showcasing the best of Indonesia, dish
it up to an admiring world and help Deputy Minister Angela lure tourists.
That’ll be a Plate worth remembering. Duncan
Graham
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