My Second Interview as Blogger
My second interview as a blogger comes today (see my debut here, in case you want to know). It’s not from Indonesia, rather it’s from our neighbouring country, Australia. The interviewer is a senior researcher in a particular think thank organization who are interested with my posting regarding Herman Saksono entitled an Indonesian Blogger Investigated by Police.
In his introduction he said in his email:
I read with interest your posting ‘An Indonesian Blogger Investigated by Police’ on the investigation of Herman Saksono. Can you provide any further details of the investigation.
As the questions was not so hard to answer and can be read in many Indonesian newspapers, I give the answers with no fuss and free of charge.
Free of charge? You might be a bit strange with this word. Yes, unlike in Indonesia in some (developed?) countries you’ll get paid for giving an interview. I’ll get paid whenever BBC (Indonesian section) interviews me. It’s a common practice outthere. So, that’s why the Australian interviewer asked me wether I used to charge for a service i.e. giving interview is a form of service so you deserve a certain amount of money. And because the question is very ordinary ones, I make it free. :)
Well, why I share this story with you? First, blogging in English is really paid off. You become the first source for any non-Indonesian who wants to know about Indonesia (for this to happen, make sure to let the readers know that you are an Indonesian or whatever your nationality is).
Secondly, blogging –regardless it’s journalism or not–gains more respect from many corners. Many people turns to blog and blogger for more “first hand” source.