Book & The Arts

Not important, but why it be read? Not important, but why it interested? That "blog" (short for Web logs, and short for "Logging The Web") is the evolution of online diary, maybe we both know. Like the diaries, blogger can express themselves freely there. Express their feelings, elaborate opinion, include still and moving images, insert a song, or whatever.

The difference is, a real diary used to be a personal treasures that hidden under the pillow; well now, when someone writes a blog and published it on internet, boom!, Your writing will directly become public consumption.

But, still, in spite of public access, the content of blogs, is sooo subjective. Because of subjective many people, even the author himself ensured what he presented was "not important".

”Not important”? Come on!

This kind of discussion could be a debatable, indeed, when in fact there are many blogs are addicted by millions of readers, worldwide accessible, even by a number of publishing companies are keen to 'stolen' for booked with incredible demand!

This phenomenon is seen on Kompas Newspaper since 2008, when they launched www.kompasiana.com. At first, indeed, Kompas provides Kompasiana only for the journalists so that they are more literate internet and freely cross-opinion; spilling various of heart anxiety they felt on coverage field or in realm of thought that not enough to be accommodated in the limited page of newspaper.

Later, Kompasiana ballooned into a website a collection of blogs that also can be written by public - the caregivers finally referred it as "Social Blog" or "Social Media". Perhaps, now, carrying 19,000 bloggers (registered members) they put forward the papers there, which was invaded to 1.7 million absolute unique visitors per month. The data are quite surprising for a website that contains material information that "not important".

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About the important and unimportant is it, is actually is a review which is prevalent in the realm of journalism. When a journalist covering the event or interviewing sources, then he will find very much data and facts which must then be sorted out. Not every news could be crammed as news. Not entirely necessary for the reader, at that time.

The journalists working corridor, in the end, would be more engaged in the mainstream: conveying important information, as soon as possible. Data remaining (non-mainstream) - which usually is far more - with all respect, should be removed to the trash, or collected as private property.

As simple as it is. It's that simple?

Rather than conditioned by orders from superiors to only to pursuing the information mainstream, many journalists work like "handyman" (so called cynicism that often circulated on campuses communication to dub the journalists who work only on assignment from the editor, or merely diligent in attending a press conferences). They are, by their own fellow journalists are considered as a journalist who did not save the anxiety, even cruelly defined to have no vision, who will mourn protracted when the media where they worked closed down the ruling.

In fact, more or less, a journalist profession is like an artist, who would if he lost the creativity and imagination. But, why bother? Mass media companies to hire journalists (indeed) to find the mainstream news. So, that's okay, right?

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Of course, not all journalists (intentionally or not, conscious or unconscious) love to behaves as a handyman. Maybe because of their ignorant instinct, or just for fun, but it could be because anxiety heart journalists, though not a few who from the outset it was planned to be creative and dream of being celebrities - there are certain journalists who with painstaking collect non-information mainstream of the field.

Some of them are just told little jokes to their family or colleagues, some of them write silently in their private diary without further thinking, yet the rest of them are dared to publish it on a blog - probably without thinking whether it will be read or not.The fact is, indeed, not the entire unimportant non-mainstream information are interested to readers. But, in kompasiana.com, there is a work of a journalist (Kompas) that since the beginning of his appearance is always awaited and commented by many people.

Wisnu Nugroho, the reporter, has been assigned by Kompas to be posted at the Presidential Palace (the term used by Wisnu to combine the complex terms of Palace, Presidential Palace, Government House, the Office of the President Bina Graha Building, also the State Secretariat Building) in 2004 to 2008.

Wisnu's mainstream work, was to covering the various activities of state of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (Pak Beye) and all the knick-knacks. However, on their own initiative (for some reason, maybe for fun, but he was really tacky when looking the luxurious of the palace), Wisnu increased his workload by collecting various non-mainstream information, which then periodically posted on Kompasiana.

He was continually published a hundred of articles with themes that missed by other journalists or other blogger, but it is very intriguing to anyone interested. It's almost entirely expressed the SBY's other side of formality (who will care to disappear mole on the forehead of SBY?). He reports all the Palace complexity which had always been a mystery for almost the entire people of Indonesia (oddities and over-reaction), to describe the hustle-bustle behavior of Presidential staffs and people milling around - completed with photographs ensuring that Wisnu wanted to talk so seriously.

Not everything is urgent, indeed, even some of it were swirling like Wisnu mood or mind while writing. But, admittedly, because it reveals very close to other sides of the number one person (President) and their ivory tower (palace complex) and staffs (the ministers, families, relatives, guests of the state and 'fake' guests) that have not recorded by any media. What is presented by Wisnu seems to be more interesting than just important.

Moreover, Wisnu wrote it with a straight, ignorant, tend to be tacky, but honest and naive, with brittle and swinging language - sometimes directly appoint to someone's nose, but more often without mentioning the identity of informants in question because he claimed did not know who the person is.

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Wisnu must be a 'lucky' journalist to be posted at the office as well as house of the number one person in Indonesia - even though in many media, this task are avoided because many journalists refuse to be in formal while reporting the palace; it's not allowed wear jeans and shoes sandals, and so on. With all these requirements. Wisnu became a close witness of everyday life of President, and could freely exploring the outposts of the palace 9which is forbidden for citizen mostly) like in his own rented house.

President and palaces; to hear those words used to boost of people's adrenalin: what's in there, what's it look like, who in there?

Wisnu certainly not the first or the only journalist who stayed in the palace. Before he his feet in there and close to the President, other journalists should mind a lot of questions. However, they seemed to reluctant to share with other, with their readers. And (this is the most important thing), without ignorant sense and observant eyes, those journalists, after back and forth of the palace, could only mutter: "It's just an ordinary.."

Ibas's car mentioned by Wisnu/by courtesyInstead, since his first present in the Palace, and perhaps until now, Wisnu apparently thinks presidential house occupants are extraordinary, and he was so amazed. Because he couldn't hold his tremendous admiration that bubbling, he then spat. And, Kompasiana, with tremendous enthusiasm become a container that participated by millions of loyal fans.

It's a right moment. Wisnu spew all of his admiration to Pak Beye and the palace when Yudhoyono still hold the power. It would be definitely a different story if the writing were rolling after Yudhoyono stepped down.

Wisnu is also benefited from the reform euphoria that infiltrated aloud to the Palace since the era of President Gus Dur. Imagine if Wisnu were assigned at the Palace in the days of Suharto, his ignorance in tinkering luxury vehicles owned by guests and president's son who back and forth, or his critics to annoying people around the president, might affect bitter for himself and the media where he worked.

Moreover, according to Wisnu, there are still a few residents of the Palace and SBY's relatives who are full overwhelmed when The Kompas Gramedia reflected his writing in four series: "Pak Beye and the Palace", "Pak Beye and His Relatives', as well as "Pak Beye and His Family' (both already in circulation), "Pak Beye and His Relatives' as well as 'Pak Beye and His Families' , as well as Mr. Beye and Families (scheduled to be release at late October 2010).

He said, "Ibas (Edhie Baskoro, son of SBY) and Heru Lelono (expert staff of the President) are congratulated him. Even Dino Pati Djalal (The Pesidential Spokesman) requested his book. But, there's also text-message: 'Because of your book, he told me to change the car number! "

Wisnu has no idea who is the sender of text-message, and he also don't understand who is meant as 'he', but it certainly has to do with his critical writing in considered as unimportant writing in Kompasiana, few times ago.

Ah yes, for some people, Wisnu is considered as ignorant journalist who just want to girl talk and criticizing 'private life' of people around SBY and the palace. Yet, sometimes those 'girl talks' could entertaining and keep our heart cool. It might be unimportant, but sometimes it still necessary.