YOGYAKARTA – Chairperson of the Press Council, Ninik Rahayu, has called on the media to play an active role in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the 2024 elections by avoiding news coverage that could potentially trigger conflicts.
“We need to work together to prevent conflicts arising from news coverage or individuals feeling disadvantaged due to media reports,” stated Ninik Rahayu during a workshop titled “Coverage of the 2024 Elections” organized by the Press Council in Yogyakarta on Tuesday.
She noted that members of the press should learn from the numerous instances of conflicts sparked by news coverage during the 2014 and 2019 elections.
She predicted that conflicts arising from news coverage could still escalate during the 2024 elections due to the extensive distribution of news through social media platforms.
“With news being distributed on social media, we can already see the impact before the elections. Several cases have been reported to the Press Council,” she added.
Therefore, the Press Council hopes that in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, the media will not only seek to fulfill the public’s need for information but also work to mitigate the potential negative consequences of news coverage to avoid chaos.
“We should align our perceptions so that the media can empower public intellect and encourage public participation in the 2024 elections,” concluded Ninik Rahayu.