Bambang Harymurti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bambang Harymurti
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Harymurti in 2009
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| Born | 10 December 1956 Jakarta
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| Nationality | Indonesian |
| Education | Bandung Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Spouse(s) | Marga Alisjahbana |
Bambang Harymurti (born 10 December 1956), often called BHM, is a well-known Indonesian journalist. He used to be the main editor of Tempo magazine. In 2004, he faced a big court case because of a news story. Today, he helps lead Indonesia's Press Council.
About Bambang Harymurti
Bambang Harymurti was born in Jakarta on December 10, 1956. His father, Ahmad Sudarsono, was an air force pilot. As a young boy, Bambang had a dream of becoming an astronaut.
Starting His Career
Bambang Harymurti studied electrical engineering at Bandung Institute of Technology. He finished his degree in 1984. Later, he also earned another degree from Harvard University.
After his father passed away, Bambang needed to help his family. So, in 1982, he started working for Tempo magazine. Even though he wanted to join Indonesia's space program, journalism became his path.
He has worked for several important news places. These include Tempo, Time, and Media Indonesia. His work as a journalist has won him many awards. One award was for "Excellence in Journalism" in 1997. Another was the PWI Jawa Timur Pena Award in 2006. From 1991 to 1994, he was in charge of Tempo's office in Washington, D.C..
Interestingly, while working for Tempo on a story about Indonesia's space program, Bambang even qualified as a possible astronaut!
In 1997, he was briefly suspended from his job at Media Indonesia. He said it was for "not following orders." This happened when a story about the president's birthday was not put on the cover. In 1999, Bambang Harymurti became the chief editor of Tempo magazine.
The Tempo Magazine Case
In 2003, a reporter from Tempo magazine wrote a story. The story was about a powerful business person named Tomy Winata. It suggested that Winata might have benefited from a big market fire in Jakarta.
After the story came out, some people protested at the Tempo offices. They were upset about the article. Bambang Harymurti and another reporter went to the police. They wanted to report what happened.
Later, Tomy Winata filed a lawsuit against Tempo. He sued Bambang Harymurti and two other journalists. Many people saw this case as a challenge to press freedom in Indonesia. Press freedom means journalists should be able to report the truth without fear. Many groups around the world that support journalists also spoke out. They believed the case was important for democracy in Indonesia.
On September 16, 2004, Bambang Harymurti was found guilty by a court. He was sentenced to one year in prison. However, the other two journalists were found not guilty. Tempo magazine was also told to pay money.
But this decision was later changed. On February 9, 2005, Indonesia's highest court, the Supreme Court of Indonesia, overturned the ruling. This meant Bambang Harymurti was cleared. The court said that journalists need to be protected. Bambang Harymurti said this was a win for all journalists in Indonesia.
Today, Bambang Harymurti is the deputy leader of Indonesia's Press Council. This council works to protect journalists and their freedom to report.
Personal Life
Bambang Harymurti married Marga Alisjahbana in 1984. They had been friends for a long time. Together, they have two children.
