the launching of the media sites in Bahasa was aimed at bringing Indonesia closer to the rest of the world, Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal Robert Thomson said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Wall Street Journal, a US-based business news media company, will launch a website and a mobile news reader application in Bahasa Indonesia this summer.

Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal Robert Thomson said during a press briefing at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday that the launching of the media sites in Bahasa was aimed at bringing Indonesia closer to the rest of the world.

"Indonesia is a part of the global platform. We want to bring the world to Indonesian people as much as share Indonesia`s political, economic and cultural affairs with the world," he stated.

However, Thomson said the focus of The Wall Street Journal was economy and, therefore, the news would be presented from an economic point of view.

"Honestly, I do not know about politics, but all sectors are so related to each other that we cannot separate them," he added.

Thomson`s two-day visit to Indonesia was meant to not only promote the media sites but also meet Indonesian businessmen, Vice President Boediono and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"I met Vice President Boediono this morning, and will meet President Yudhoyono tonight to discuss some things, especially about the economy," he said.

Thomson dismissed claims that he was asked by the Indonesian government to write favourably about the economic condition in Indonesia in order to attract global investors to the country.

"There is no such agenda, but I think the launch of our website in Bahasa will be a good advertisement for Indonesia. It depends on how Indonesia takes the opportunity," he said.

The Wall Street Journal has received 34 Pulitzer awards for outstanding journalism and, in 2011, it topped the list of B2B Media Power 50 for the 12th consecutive year.

In Indonesia, a Wall Street Journal office was opened in Jakarta in 1976. After the company`s latest launch, an editor will be based in Indonesia, whose main responsibility will be to maintain the news sites in Bahasa and also work as a journalist at the existing office.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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