Australia-Indonesia Institute Annual Report 2000-2001

MEDIA PROGRAM

The Institute aims to encourage improved mutual understanding by helping to foster high-quality, insightful media coverage of Indonesia in Australia and of Australia in Indonesia.

The media in Australia and Indonesia plays a very significant role in informing and shaping perceptions in both countries. The Institute has encouraged Australian journalists to learn more about Indonesia through its journalist scholarship program. We have sought to introduce Australian and Indonesian journalists to the media in each others countries through work placements provided under the auspices of Medialink fellowships. We have also provided funding for the development of an Indonesia-based journalist training course for Australian journalism students and facilitated a study tour of Australia for representatives from a prominent Indonesian media outlet with an interest in gender issues.

AII journalist scholarships

Since 1992, the Institute has offered scholarships to Australian journalists enabling them to undertake intensive language and culture courses in Indonesia of a month to six weeks duration. In 2000–2001 the following four journalists travelled to Indonesia under AII auspices:

Paul Cleary Australian Financial Review — Canberra

Natalie Larkins ABC News and Current Affairs — Adelaide

John van Tiggelen Freelance writer, Good Weekend

Michael Ware South Pacific Correspondent, Time

Feedback from participants has been positive and reflects the contribution the Institutes scholarship scheme makes to its overall objectives. In particular, grantees have consistently noted the professional benefits afforded by the opportunity to study in Indonesia, the depth of insights gained and the warmth and friendliness of their Indonesian hosts.

Media fellowships

The Institute has also sponsored work placements for Indonesian and Australian journalists under a program administered for the Institute by Medialink at the Asialink Centre in the University of Melbourne. Fellowships were first awarded in 1999 and are offered to selected journalists under a program running the course of a calendar year.

Medialink fellowships have proven sound vehicles for promoting understanding and mutual tolerance between Australians and Indonesians. The fellowships also provide opportunities for participants to develop skills and establish contacts.

In 2000, two respected Indonesian journalists, Ms Febrina Melva Siahaan and Mr Hendrarto Darudoyo, were awarded fellowships at Radio Australia and later the Sydney Morning Herald and the Herald Sun respectively. Another Indonesian journalist is expected to be placed with a major Australian media outlet during 2001.

Under the 2001 fellowship program two Australian journalists undertook attachments to Indonesian media outlets. Mr Peter Kerr, Deputy Foreign Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, was assigned to the Jakarta Post and Ms Farah Farouque from the Age was attached to Tempo magazine.

Australian Consortium for In Country Indonesian Studies (ACICIS)

As a complement to its scholarship and fellowship programs, the Institute has assisted the non-profit educational consortium ACICIS, which is based at Perths Murdoch University, in its initial development in Indonesia of a course of journalism study for Australian students. Once established, the ACICIS project is expected to provide students with tuition in Indonesian language and culture and placements with Indonesian media outlets.

Media and gender study tour

During 2000–2001, the Institute also made available assistance for Ms Adriana Venny (Program Manager) and Ms Dee Dee Achriani (Development Manager) from the Indonesian organisation Yayasan Jurnal Perempuan (YJP) to undertake a media and gender study tour in Australia.

YJP was founded in 1995 with the aim of empowering women through media and publishes a bi-monthly womens journal. Since 1998 Radio Jurnal Perempuan has been producing weekly radio programs for women. These programs, which are carried by over 100 radio stations across Indonesia, cover issues such as women in politics, women and reproduction rights and matters relating to women in rural areas.

The YJP representatives visited Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth and met NGOs involved in womens issues, academics, women in media, ABC Radio and SBS television. The AIIs support for the study tour reflects the importance the Institute attaches to building linkages between YJP and Australian counterparts, with an aim to helping a leading Indonesian commentator on gender issues better understand Australian treatment of gender issues.