Stephanie Tangkilisan – The media was criticized on Friday for its coverage of last week's bombings at two Jakarta hotels, including broadcasting graphic images of the victims and reporting on details of the ongoing investigation that could have helped the culprits evade capture.
National Police spokesman Nanan Sukarna, speaking at a press conference with the Press Council and Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), said the media's coverage could have alerted those responsible for the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings to sensitive details of the investigation.
He was particularly critical of television stations showing closed-circuit television footage from the hotels.
"By showing the footage of the bombers prior to the explosion, the media has made these terrorists aware of police operations," Nanan said, suggesting that it could make the job of tracking suspects more difficult.
Nanan also warned the media against becoming "pawns used by the terrorists to broadcast their crimes and spread terror."
In a message that was supported by the Press Council, Nanan said that while the event should have been covered, a more resilient tone was needed as opposed to one that propagated the terrorists' message of fear and panic.
Abdullah Alamudi, a member of the Press Council, was particularly critical of news organizations showing graphic images of the victims, as well as the severed heads of the suspects.
"It was in bad taste," Abdullah said, adding that the media should have been more sympathetic to the families of those killed.
He said such coverage violated the county's broadcasting standards. Abdullah also cautioned the media for rushing to declare suspects as criminals, and printing their pictures and full details.
KPI chairman Sasa Djuarsa Sendjaja, meanwhile, was critical of the media's coverage of the elections, including the broadcast of quick-count results before the polls had closed.
"They shouldn't have featured such things when some citizens of Indonesia had yet to cast their votes," he said. "By doing so, they inevitably shaped their opinion and their votes."
Sasa also encouraged the public to report election coverage violations to the KPI and not just the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu). "That way we can take concrete action instead of simply giving verbal tongue lashings," he said.
Despite the criticism, Abdullah insisted that media organizations were free to report what they wanted, adding that they needed to be guided by their conscience and ethics.