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View all search resultsTVOne breaks law with communist coverage: Expert
An expert with media watchdog Society Concerns about Media (MPM) Yogyakarta, Darmanto, said TVOneâs biased and sensational news coverage was to blame for rising tensions between Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) supporters and the network
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A
n expert with media watchdog Society Concerns about Media (MPM) Yogyakarta, Darmanto, said TVOne's biased and sensational news coverage was to blame for rising tensions between Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) supporters and the network.
'TVOne has violated the 2002 Broadcasting Law, the Journalists' Code of Ethics and the 2008 Presidential Elections Law,' said Darmanto on Thursday.
TVOne is owned by Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie, who is backing Prabowo Subianto in the presidential election against the PDI-P's Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
Darmanto called on the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) to sanction the network, along with other private stations such as Metro TV (owned by Jokowi supporter Surya Paloh) that were broadcasting partisan election coverage.
'Many commissioners of the KPI are people who have certain political backgrounds; so the question is whether they are brave enough to go after TVOne or Metro TV,' said Darmanto.
Outrage has been reported among PDI-P supporters following recent TVOne news coverage that linked the party with the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
Though he agreed their anger was justified, Darmanto urged PDI-P supporters to not overreact and exercise restraint.
PDI-P supporters have reportedly vandalized TVOne office buildings in Jakarta and Yogyakarta.
Separately, the secretary-general of the Yogyakarta chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Rochimawati, condemned the PDI-P supporters' use of violence.
'People who are disappointed with television news coverage should report it either to the Indonesian Press Council or the KPI,' said Rochimawati.
She further said all mass media should stay independent and not take sides with any political party or media owners.
'Journalists should be faithful in serving the public's interest, not their bosses'. Journalists should dare to take a stand as they are protected by the Press Law,' said Rochimawati. (ebf)
