By: Dwi Cahya Alfarizi )*
The press has a stake in nation building, through the press all news about the government, parliament, social and political affairs can be widely known by the public, including the 2024 general election (Pemilu), the press is considered to have a very strategic role.
The press will have an important role in stemming the social division or polarization that has occurred in the previous election. Ahead of the 2024 elections, of course the press has a role to play in dampening or reducing the potential for divisions between communities caused by differences in political choices.
On the occasion of a seminar held by the Press Council. The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud MD emphasized that the press is required to have the ability and awareness to play this strategic and central role, for example selectively selecting competent and responsible sources, choosing constructive news titles and angles so that they do not dissolve in practice and the phenomenon of clickbait, such as making bombastic headlines where sometimes the title and content don’t match.
This of course must be accompanied by the ability of journalists in the field who are equipped with adequate technical skills and insights.
The press, as one of the pillars of democracy, of course has a strategic role in stemming and being a way out for the rampant hoaxes and disinformation before and during the 2024 General Election which is disseminated mainly through social media.
The press as an institution that has high ethical standards and accuracy standards, as well as a culture of check and check can be the main choice to guide and direct the public to rational and objective choices, not choices based on hatred or dislike for one group.
According to Mahfud MD, the press must also be the main reference so that people’s choices in the upcoming 2024 General Election are based on considerations of the interests of the integrity, unity and progress of the nation, not based on personal or group sentiments.
Meanwhile, the press also has a role in maintaining political stability, because just like food, if the information provided is information that is full of nutrition, of course the recipients of press products in the form of news or information, will be able to respond wisely to the news.
Moreover, Indonesia has a diversity of ethnicities and religions to political views, the press is also required to be able to become a forum that does not offend SARA.
According to George Fox Mott, the press is a public servant, community liaison, community leader and seller of knowledge. Meanwhile, according to Law number 40 of 1999 concerning the press, what is meant by the press is a social institution and vehicle for mass communication that carries out journalistic activities including seeking, obtaining, possessing, storing, processing and conveying information in the form of writing, sound, images, and data and graphs.
The press plays an important role in various aspects of public life. The press has an influence function which is generally found in articles, editorials or online media.
In principle, elections are not just performances for election participants or voters. However, performances are for everyone including supervisors, the public and the press are no exception.
Most believe that election supervision is only the responsibility of Bawaslu. Of course this is not the case, because apart from being an information medium, the press also has a very important role in exercising control as monitoring the course of the election. Without any invitation from the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) the press should have a participatory supervisory role through its journalistic media both online and offline.
Moreover, the press has been mandated by law, where it is the duty of the press to inform, provide education and supervise the election stages.
That is, journalists or journalists have a role as participatory supervision. The press is also a partner for Bawaslu not only in the role of conveying information about elections, but also as a partner as a participatory supervisor which is based on a joint decision letter before the election campaign stage takes place.
With the limited number of Bawaslu staff in each region, of course, in essence the press has the responsibility to oversee the election process in order to realize a peaceful election.
Previously, Acting Chairman of the Press Council Muhammad Agung Dharmajaya said that Article 2 of law number 40 of 1999 concerning the press emphasized that press freedom is a manifestation of people’s sovereignty based on the principles of democracy, justice and the rule of law.
Each time the election is held, the Press Council will issue a circular or appeal to the press community regarding the position of the media and the impartiality of journalists in the implementation of the election.
Press personnel who present quality information are of course expected to be education about elections for the public as well as reducing the negative effects of hoaxes where hoax news about elections has been proven to be able to create polarization between two opposing camps.
)* The author is a contributor to Persada Institute
