2009 PPIA-VOA BROADCASTING FELLOWSHIPS
JOINT PRESS RELEASE

PPIA and VOA Welcome and Farewell the Fellows

Jakarta, Indonesia – March 30, 2009

Last year, PPIA (Perhimpunan Persahabatan Indonesia-Amerika or Indonesian-American Friendship Society) sent two young journalists, Hanggapuri Anindita from Hard Rock FM Jakarta and Fauziah Erwin from Metro TV Makassar to work with Voice of America (VOA) Indonesian Service in Washington DC under 2008 PPIA-VOA Broadcasting Fellowships. PPIA-VOA Broadcasting Fellowship is a program conducted by PPIA and VOA and dedicated to provide a golden opportunity to young Indonesian journalists who want to build their career in Indonesia’s broadcasting industry by gaining six to twelve months practical international journalism and broadcasting experiences with VOA.

The 2008 PPIA-VOA fellows have finished the program and returned to Indonesia. At the same time PPIA and VOA announced two young journalists as their successors for 2009 fellowships. Both PPIA and VOA have reiterated their strong commitment to continue the fellowships as their annual program for young Indonesian journalists.

Ms. Meity Robot, Chairperson of the Indonesian-American Friendship Society (PPIA) and Mr. Norman Goodman, Chief of the Voice of America (VOA) Indonesian Service in Washington DC, today announced the selection of two successful candidates for the PPIA-VOA Broadcasting Fellowship Program 2009 at a joint press conference at Le Meridien Hotel, Jakarta. The two 2009 Fellows are: Ms. Esther Samboh and Ms. Juanita Wiratmaja.

Ms. Esther Samboh is currently an Assistant Lecturer at Pelita Harapan University, She is teaching scriptwriting for broadcast news, multimedia and desktop publishing. Among her experiences, Ms. Samboh was a contributing writer for several newspaper and magazines such as: The Jakarta Post, KOMPAS Daily, HAI, Trax and many others. She also worked as Liaison Officer for International Artist for Java Jazz Festival. This will be her first trip to U.S.

Ms. Wiratmaja is a SCTV news reporter and presenter. Ms. Wiratmaja has covered major stories in social, politics and cross cultural events in Indonesia. She was the finalist of Menuju Layar Liputan 6 SCTV, a competition to identify newscaster talent. She is a 2006 graduate of International Relation Department at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta. The fellowship will also give Ms. Wiratmaja her first experience traveling to U.S.

In announcing the program, Ms. Robot said : “This program is a golden opportunity for our young journalists to experience life and work in the USA and at the same time become friendship ambassadors and improve our image to the American people. They are also expected to promote Indonesia and its diverse culture and vice versa learn about the American culture. On their return they can share their invaluable experience with their colleagues and encourage them to try to follow them in their foot steps. I recommend that they become members of PPIA and encourage more young people to join PPIA. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to VoA for their support in this program and hope that it will continue in the years to come. 

The two Fellows were carefully selected from a highly competitive pool of 130 applicants from all over Indonesia. The fellowship program is annual cooperative program between PPIA and VOA designed to provide opportunities for promising young Indonesian journalists, radio and TV broadcasters. Ms. Samboh and Ms. Wiratmaja will begin their Fellowship in early April 2009.

The PPIA-VOA Broadcasting Fellowship Program will provide transportation to the U.S., basic living expenses, health insurance, visa and fiscal expenses. The program is open to recent university graduates in fields related to journalism and broadcasting and to those with no more than three years of experience in broadcast, print and new media. Full fluency in English is required. Further information about how to apply for the fellowships can be found at www.VOAIndonesia.com.

PPIA and VOA are both dedicated to promote understanding between the Indonesian and American people. 

Established in 1959 as Lembaga Indonesia–Amerika (LIA), PPIA has a mission to foster closer friendship ties between Indonesians and Americans through mutual appreciation of one another’s culture, to enhance the amicable relations that exist between the two nations. PPIA is a non-religious, non-political, nonprofit making organization established in Indonesia.

This year VOA and the VOA Indonesian Service are both celebrating 67 years of broadcasting. VOAis a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of more than 115 million people. Programs are produced in 45 languages. VOA Indonesian Service produces radio, TV, Internet and mobile phone news and information in Bahasa Indonesia for a growing audience across Indonesia.