(Unila): The Centre for Research and Community Service (LP2M), the University of Lampung (Unila) held an event of book review authored by Prof. Dr. Karomani, M.Sc., entitled “Gus Dur Jatuh dari Kepresidenan dan Keberpihakan Media Massa (the impeachment of Gus Dur and alignments of the Endorsements of the Media”, Wednesday, December 30, 2020.
It was hosted both online and offline in the main meeting room on the second floor of the Rectorate building.
The event was attended by several prominent Indonesian figures, the General Chairperson of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Prof. Dr. KH. Said Aqil Siradj, MA, as the keynote speaker, former Deputy Head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), Rector of UIN Lampung, CEO of Jawa Pos, deputy of Editor-in-Chief of Kompas, former journalist of the daily Republika, Bunda PAUD of Bandarlampung, Eva Dwiana SE, M.Sc., Muslim intellectuals, academic figures, and leaders within Unila.
The event, moderated by Dr. Nanang Trenggono, M.Sc., presented four keynote speakers; Yenny Wahid, Prof. Dr. Mahfud M.D., S.H., S.U., M.I.P., Dr. KH. As’ad Said Ali, and Prof. Deddy Mulyana, M.A., Ph.D.
It was also attended by seven book review discussants, Prof. Dr. Azyumardi Azra, M.A., C.B.E., Prof. Greg Barton, Prof. Dr. Moh. Mukri, M.Ag., Prof. Dr. Ir. Muhammad Yusuf Sulfarano Barusman, M.B.A., Prof. Dr. (H.C.) Dahlan Iskan, M. Bakir, and Arif Punto
Prof. Karomani, M.Sc., in his remarks revealed that the book of “Gus Dur Jatuh dari Kepresidenan dan Keberpihakan Media Massa” was a part of his dissertation when he was pursuing his doctoral degree at Padjadjaran University in 2001. At the time, Indonesia’s political situation was volatile during the Gus Dur era.
With reference to Van Dijk’s critical analysis model of news texts, Karomani then tries to scrutinized and critically analysed news particularly retrieved from the mainstream media, the Kompas and Republika regarding the impeachment of Gus Dur. One of his interesting comments that he later presented in his book was accusing the media of not taking sides with Gus Dur.
Karomani said that Van Dijk’s analysis should involve three aspects; news texts, journalist’s cognition or the journalists’ backgrounds who create the news, then social contexts or social constructions of the community time.
“How a news text is constructed depends much on the journalists’ cognition and the existing social contexts. I hope, later it can be discussed in this book review“,he said.
Yenny Wahid, one of Gus Dur’s daughters, who was also one of the speakers, expressed her appreciation to Prof. Karomani as the author of a book respecting Gus Dur. “Congratulations and thanks for the scientific work that Professor Aom has presented on Gus Dur,” said Yenny.
She believes that this book has been tested academically through theoretical clarity and the validity of the data. This may enrich people’s views in reinforcing the principles of democracy in the future.
Yenny also said that this book was essential as it highlighted beneficial points. The role of the four pillars in a democratic country; the part of the press in expressing the dynamics of a nation and then providing a flow of information that can educate the public.
Gus Dur Jatuh dari Kepresidenan dan Keberpihakan Media Massa by Prof. Dr. Karomani, M.Sc., was published on November 25, 2020 by Elex Media Komputindo. [Public Relations Team]
