The point of learning out of the box

Okay, hi, college students. Especially you with no prior experience in holding a public events, or you who do not get any classes on event organizing. Flash news, do not make rules for journalists. Ever.

I attended one of the most interesting seminars yesterday, with one, if not the worst management from the committee.

Which professionals organize the event, I hear you ask.

Students - young, young students - from UI's civil engineering department.

Not that I discredit their faculty, but really, aside from counting structural forces or whatever it is they count, those engineering geeks should learn something about dealing with the media.

I went to the seminar because the transport minister was there, and it was about railway revival in Indonesia. Arriving at 8 a.m., I was of course not in my best mood. So when they said I couldn't come in because I did not have any invitation, I was starting to boil.

The ministry had invited me to come, the night before. I was following my minister there, and I would be out soon as I got comments from him. I did not give a damn about their seminar, which did not have anything much in issues, I think.

And then we journalists were given these bunch of papers, consisting of press release, a schedule, and get this: a rule for the press.

My prediction came true; as long as my friends arrived, they complained right then and there about the so-called rules. It was so ridiculous to set up a written rule like that, it made us laugh.

Then it turned not-so-funny when the committee did not let us in while Min. Jusman was starting his speech. They invited the media to come to the seminar, but wouldn't let us in to actually cover the event. How smart.

In the end, after we caught the minister for a doorstop interview, some of the senior reporters approached the so-called public relations officers of the committee. I felt a bit sorry for them, because some guy from Kompas ranted on and on about the unorganized event, and I think that girl, with her long, black hair, blue contact lenses, and hip-looking suit, was so close to her tears.

Well well, there's more to PR-ing than looking flashy and pat yourself on the back after you manage to invite the country's big media, huh, kids?