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KPI warns TV stations over unbalanced campaign coverage
For the umpteenth time, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has sent out warning letters to a number of television stations repudiating their unbalanced coverage of the upcoming presidential election
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or the umpteenth time, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has sent out warning letters to a number of television stations repudiating their unbalanced coverage of the upcoming presidential election.
The five television stations under fire were Metro TV, TV One, and three branches of Media Nusantara Citra (MNC) Group; Global TV, MNC TV and RCTI.
'We have warned the five television stations about being unbalanced [in their coverage of candidates' campaign activities],' said KPI member Iddy Muzzayad in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by tempo.co.
He said television campaign coverage tended to be partisan, most likely a reflection of the political preferences of station owners.
Earlier reports revealed that some television station owners had sided with the Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo-Jusuf Kalla pairing, while others chose the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa team.
Metro TV is owned by NasDem Party chairman Surya Paloh, a supporter of the Jokowi-Kalla ticket. Meanwhile, Prabowo-Hatta enjoys endorsements from MNC Group boss Hary Tanoesoedibjo, as well as TV One owner and Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie.
Iddy said that based on the results of the KPI monitoring that lasted from May 19-25, Metro TV had dedicated a higher percentage of presidential election coverage to Jokowi-Kalla's campaign, while TV One and MNC Group had given more airtime to Prabowo-Hatta.
At Metro TV, KPI recorded that Jokowi-Kalla coverage was aired on 187 occasions during the period, higher than Prabowo-Hatta's figure of 110.
Conversely, at TV One, there were 153 examples of Prabowo-Hatta campaign coverage, while the Jokowi-Kalla campaign garnered just 79. At RCTI, the disparity was even greater, with Jokowi-Kalla appearing seven times compared to over 30 times for Prabowo-Hatta.
In an earlier statement, KPI member Fajar Arifianto Isnugroho said that alongside the Indonesian Press Council, the commission would impose sanctions on television stations found to be guilty of unbalanced campaign coverage. (fss/ebf)
