The Press has a Crucial Role in Maintaining the Flow of Regional Election Information
By : Sabrina Aulia )*
Ahead of the Regional Head Election (Pilkada) which was released by the General Election Commission (KPU) on November 27 2024, the community has the opportunity to elect a leader who will direct development and policy in their respective regions.
In this process, the press plays a crucial role in maintaining the flow of accurate and reliable information. The role of the press is not only as a conveyer of news, but also as a monitor of the running of democracy so that it remains transparent and fair.
One of the main roles of the press in regional elections is to educate voters. The mass media has a responsibility to provide clear and accurate information about candidates, their vision and mission, as well as important issues that the public needs to know about. By providing in-depth and objective analysis, the press helps voters make informed decisions at the voting booth.
Through balanced coverage, the media can also help avoid the spread of misleading information or hoaxes that can influence public opinion. In today’s digital era, where information can spread quickly through social media, the press has a big responsibility to verify and clarify information before it is disseminated to the public.
The supervisory role is one of the important functions of the press in regional elections. The mass media functions as a “watchdog” that oversees the electoral process from start to finish. This includes monitoring the running of the campaign, the implementation of voting, and the counting of votes. By conducting in-depth investigations and reporting, the press can reveal potential fraud or violations that occurred during the Pilkada process.
Through investigative reports, the press can highlight various issues such as money politics, manipulation of voter data, or abuse of power by candidates or their supporters. This is important to ensure that the election process takes place fairly and democratically.
The Subang Police collaborated with the Subang Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) to create safe and conducive conditions for security and public order (Kamtibmas) ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections.
Subang Police Chief, AKBP Ariek Indra Sentanu, in an audience with PWI Subang management, emphasized the important role of the media in maintaining regional election stability. Cool regional election conditions and safe public law and security are needed, so that support from the media and PWI as a forum for professional journalistic organizations is recognized by the Press Council.
PWI can help disseminate positive and educative information related to regional elections, as well as combat fake news (hoaxes) that can disrupt conduciveness.
Head of the Riau Province Information Communication and Statistics Service (Diskominfotik), Ikhwan Ridwan, hopes that the press will remain objective in guarding the Democratic Party in the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections which will be held in November.
Ikhwan Ridwan said that the role of the press in Riau is very big, this was proven during the 2024 Democracy Election. The Democracy Party can run smoothly, one of which is by the sharp eye of the press monitoring it well, starting from the initial process of holding the election until after the vote counting and determination.
The Riau Provincial Government will continue to support press freedom and ensure a conducive climate for the development of journalism and is committed to working with the press to convey accurate and reliable information to the public.
Sibolga Police Chief, AKBP Achmad Fauzy invited members of the press to participate in making the regional elections safe, peaceful and cool. He hopes that fellow journalists as Polri colleagues will be able to reduce negative things, especially those that touch on SARA elements. The National Police cannot work alone, help us to minimize things that lead to provocation.
The Police Chief also hopes that journalists can reject all forms of hoax news. The information obtained should first be checked to see whether the information is correct and valid, or whether the information is worthy of being news to be disseminated.
Chairman of AJI Pekanbaru, Eko Faizin also added that media crews must write news that matches the facts on the ground. According to him, media friends also do not have to rely on information from the main election sources. But also carry out investigations in the field to obtain valid information according to the facts on the ground.
The role of the press in regional elections is very important to ensure that the democratic process runs well. By providing accurate information, monitoring election proceedings, and encouraging public participation, the press contributes to maintaining the integrity and credibility of regional elections. In facing the 2024 regional elections, challenges such as disinformation and transparency issues need to be faced seriously, and the press has a strategic position to play an active role in supporting the success of the democratic process.
)* The author is a political observer
