The camps of presidential candidates Anies Baswedan and Prabowo Subianto have bemoaned the General Elections Commission’s (KPU) decision to pick television broadcasters that are owned by a media mogul who is backing candidate Ganjar Pranowo, for the third election debate.

The KPU has named five TV channels – MNC TV, Global TV, Inews TV and RCTI – as the Jan. 7 debate’s official broadcasters.

All of the channels are part of MNC media group, which is owned by media mogul Hary Tanoesoedibjo, who also chairs Perindo – one of four political parties backing Ganjar’s presidential bid in the February election.

To this end, Ganjar’s rivals and their respective campaign teams have contested the KPU’s decision. They have raised concerns of possible conflicts of interest should the TV coverage be monopolized by the MNC group.

“We have [asked] the KPU [to consider picking other TV channels],” Nusron Wahid, a member of the Prabowo-Gibran Rakabuming Raka campaign team said on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

“In a debate, [TV broadcasting] should not be monopolized by one media group owned by the same person, particularly since this person is also affiliated [with a presidential candidate],” he added.

Nusron said that his team has sent a letter asking the KPU to include other TV channels outside of the MNC group among its list of TV broadcasters for the upcoming debate.

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