Cyberspace Storytellers Tempo - No. 01/VII/Sept 05

http://www.google.com/notebook/feeds/14416997388496334401/notebooks/BDUU0IgoQreOOnd4h/NDQKUIgoQqoO-nd4h2006-09-25T06:35:32.650Z2006-09-25T06:35:41.587ZCyberspace Storytellers Tempo - No. 01/VII/Sept 05 - 11, 2006 Interlude Cyb...Cyberspace Storytellers Tempo - No. 01/VII/Sept 05 - 11, 2006 Interlude Cyberspace Storytellers People become bloggers for different reasons. It is their medium of choice. IT may surprise you to know that bloggers do not have to be experts in information technology. These storytellers of the virtual world have different backgrounds: from housewives to models for men's magazines, from marketing managers to reporters. Via weblogs, these people make their voices heard in cyberspace—which can often have an effect on their daily lives. Here are profiles of a number of bloggers. Tiara Lestari Profiting from Anger TIARA Lestari, 26, was angry when a number of Indonesian mass media outlets all began commenting on her life. Keep in mind, they were publishing drivel about this model who had appeared in magazines such as the Spanish Playboy and the Thailand, Dutch, and Australian editions of Penthouse, without ever asking her for clarification. Disinformation has to be addressed by giving accurate information, thought this girl from Solo. Because at the time she was still living in Singapore, Tiara decided that a blog would be the most effective medium to go up against such inaccurate reporting. Thus was the beginning of the blog called "Tiara Lestari's Personal Journal," in September 2005. "It was well-received by the public," said Tiara, when met at a cafe in Jakarta, recently. As of July, 250,000 people had visited her blog. Don't be surprised if the majority of them are males. Now, she spends from three to five hours a day on the Internet taking care of her blog. At her virtual office, Tiara writes about whatever is on her mind or just reads the comments. The blog has unexpectedly supported her career in the entertainment field. She has received many job offers, from home and abroad, after interacting via her weblog. Realizing the blog's enormous potential, this oldest of three siblings started some new blogs, each with its own focus. The blogs for her female fans, for instance, are called "Tiara Lestari's 4 Women Only" and "Call Tiara Lestari." She has also made a "Press for Tiara Lestari" blog for the mass media crowd. Now, Tiara's early blog postings are being collected into a book. Another new business is born from her blog! Enda Nasution A Reference for Indonesian Bloggers SINCE junior-high school, Enda Nasution, 31, kept a diary. The arrival of the Internet led this father of one to note his daily activities, because in the virtual world he was freer to record his personal history. When blogs started to receive attention in the early 2000s, Enda began keeping his diary on the Internet. At that time, not many Indonesians had taken up blogging. Enda remembers when there were less than 100 bloggers in Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta. "We knew each other and were very close," said this graduate of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). With his extensive "flight time," Enda is a senior figure among bloggers. He willingly shares his time to help beginners who want to get involved in the world of blogging. He has already posted a guide for novices on his blog. Enda is also a sort of "baptiser" for new bloggers, because many of them send their blog address to him to be announced to the blog-going public. Enda's role has also been recognized at the international level. His diligence in voicing freedom of expression via blogs drew the attention of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), which invited him to their Freedom of Expression conference in Manila last April. "This shows that blogs have been recognized," said Enda, who is online most of the day. Enda now lives in Bangkok, Thailand, and works as an e-marketing manager for a local company. "Next year I plan to return to Indonesia," he said. Or course, this will not affect his position in the blogosphere. Fatih Syuhud An Ambassador AN Iraqi blogger called Raed inspired many bloggers to follow in his footsteps. In 2004, Raed's daily diary about the American invasion there became an alternative source of information among the many reports coming out of the international news agencies. Raed's integrity and idealism in reporting these events did not go unnoticed to them. The Reuters news agency and the Guardian, from England, recruited him as their employee. A. Fatih Syuhud is a blogger who was inspired by Raed's story. This Indonesian, who has lived in New Delhi, India, for 10 years, believes that each individual—in this case each blogger—can serve as an ambassador for his country. "In a blog, we self-publish," he said. Meanwhile, his editors are a wide readership. For this reason, Fatih does not hesitate to plunge into the blog world. After a while, Fatih was not only busy with his own blog. This doctoral candidate in socio-cultural affairs has become an impetus for other Indonesian bloggers to write in English. He, for instance, periodically reviews Indonesian bloggers who write in English. "This is important so that the contents can go worldwide," said the man from Malang. Thanks to his dedication, Fatih was selected as a contributor to Global Voices Online, a non-profit organization founded by Harvard University. Contributors in this movement are selected bloggers from around the world. In addition to this, he is also a permanent contributor to Aqoravox—which resembles Global Voices—which is headquartered in France. Hasan Aspahani Sparking the Creative Process FOR Hasan Aspahani, 35, a blog is a place for him to share his poetry, so that he can quickly hold a dialog with readers. This interactive process has influenced the creative process of this poet from Sei Raden, Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan. "It's as if I am always challenged by their comments," said this man who works as a reporter in Batam. Hasan initially started putting his poetry on a blog in order to build up his self-esteem. He never felt confident enough to submit his works to famous publications. After starting a blog, he tried sending his poems to the prominent media outlets in the Indonesian capital. After repeated attempts, his work was finally published. Despite being published in the mass media, he has not abandoned his blog. Checking his blog while having coffee is a regular part of his breakfast routine. "Without that, my daily activities will seem strange," he said. In total, he spends three hours blogging each day. To date there are about 1,000 poems stored on his blog, which is entitled "A Million Poems of Hasan Aspahani." Rovicky Dwi Putrohari Chronicler of Disaster THIS 43-year-old from Yogyakarta never thought that he would become a star speaker at Kuala Lumpur International University in February 2005. Speaking to hundreds of students and lecturers, Rovicky eloquently detailed the evidence on the tsunami which had just hit Aceh two months earlier. With the assistance of a laptop computer, his explanation was fascinating. Lengthy applause echoed at the end of his presentation. Rovicky is not someone who is usually asked to speak at seminars. His blog is what took him to the international level. "They invited me to speak on account of the blog I made," said this graduate of the Geological Engineering Faculty of Gajah Mada University (UGM). With a blog named "Geological Fairy Tale," Rovicky became famous as an expert in earthquakes and tsunamis. Interest peaked during the tsunami disaster in Aceh at the end of 2004. His first posting about the tsunami was accessed by 4,000 people in the first hour! These days, just when a series of earthquakes and tsunamis have affected various regions of Indonesia, his blog has been swamped with visitors. "Each day 8,000 people link to my blog," said this man who aspires to become a teacher. It is no surprise that his blog has become popular as of late. Rovicky, who now works at the Amereda HESS Malaysia gas and oil company, has long been involved in the virtual world—even before the booming of the blog era. He was even responsible for maintaining the website of the Association of Indonesian Geologists. Then came the blog era, which gave him a chance to share his knowledge. "The blog has become an alternative media to convey opinions," said this Masters graduate from Geophysical Engineering at the University of Indonesia. enda