Jakarta,
Dec 6 (Antara) - Four months before the start of Indonesia's general
elections in 2014, covert campaigns to promote the election candidates
have appeared in broadcasting media and billboards, which have forced
the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) and the Election
Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) to reprimand TV news stations.
At least six TV stations are believed to have broadcast programs
containing subtle campaign messages by legislative candidates or
political parties that plan to contest the general elections on April 9,
2014.
The KPI has reprimanded the TV stations for their disproportionate
coverage of political news, talk-shows and advertisements.
"The six broadcasting stations reprimanded by the commission are RCTI,
MNC TV, Global TV, ANTV, TV One and Metro TV," KPI chairman
Judhariksawan told the media here on Thursday.
Judhariksawan said the KPI had reprimanded the six television stations
and urged them to change their broadcasting coverage, since campaigning
for the upcoming general elections could not be carried out before March
16, 2014.
"We are of the view that several broadcasters have given
disproportionate coverage to political news, including advertisements
containing political messages, which, according to the KPI, contain
elements of campaigning," the KPI chairman noted.
Bawaslu has also reprimanded three national TV stations -- the MNC
Group, Metro TV and TV One -- because they are believed to have engaged
in covert political campaigns through their programs.
"We find that there are potential violations of election campaign
rules. We remind the MNC Group, Metro TV and TV One that they should not
broadcast programs that could violate the rules," Bawaslu chairman
Muhammad had said earlier.
According to Ari Junaedi, a political communications expert at the
University of Indonesia, covert campaigns are pervasive in the
electronic media because most political leaders and election candidates
believe broadcast media are among the most effective means to garner
public support.
"Now, rogue election candidates have begun to emerge. They are trying
to promote their campaigns earlier than scheduled. That is unfair.
Therefore, the General Elections Commission (KPU) must impose sanctions
against those engaging in covert campaigns," Ari had said last week.
According to election campaign regulations, campaign activities using
media publications and TV stations are not permitted right now.
Election campaigns can use media, such as publications and TV stations,
and organize rallies only between March 16 and April 5 next year. The
legislative elections are scheduled to be held on April 9, while the
presidential poll is scheduled for July 9.
According to KPU rules,election candidates can begin placing
advertisements in the mass media 21 days before elections are held.
Ari pointed out that many candidates possibly believed that appearing
on a TV program could be considered as part of a strategy to socialize
with the public, although it violated election campaign rules.
According to Judhariksawan, the KPI has noticed that the violations
committed differed for each TV station. "In some cases, the political
coverage is not disproportionate, but is dominated by information from a
particular group or affiliated groups, political party advertisements
or financed by election candidates," he added.
Judhariksawan
said the KPI's reprimand of the six TV stations constituted an
administrative sanction. "If the KPU and the election supervisory agency
issue sanctions, they will be directed at the political parties or the
nominees of the Regional Representative Council, not the broadcasting
institutions (TV stations)," he added.
Bawaslu chairman Muhammad noted that the alleged covert campaigns were
carried out in the form of ads that included on-screen images of
political party chairmen. Rules were also violated when ceremonies that
included prominent political leaders were televised.
"There are many TV programs that feature political party leaders," he added.
He noted that although political party leaders denied carrying out
covert campaigns through their appearances on TV programs, Bawaslu
believes that their TV appearances constituted clear violations,
especially because several of those leaders are major stakeholders in
these TV stations.
Covert
campaigns are also reflected on billboard advertising. Muhammad said
that many election candidates conducted covert ad campaigns by promoting
their party's colors on billboards. "Candidates are not permitted to
put their names or sequence numbers on billboards, so they are using
their party's colors," he added.
The KPU has not issued any ruling on party colors, but violators could
be charged with ignoring other regulations, he pointed out.
According to communications expert Ari Junaedi, the government, the KPU
and Bawaslu should cooperate, both in Jakarta and the regions,to impose
sanctions on candidates who violate the election rules through covert
campaigns.
"The
governments in Jakarta and other regions, the KPU and Bawaslu should
take stern measures because candidates are not permitted to conduct
campaigns right now. They should stop the campaigns and remove the
campaign pictures posted in various corners of the cities and public
transportation vehicles or distributed as leaflets on the sides of the
roads," Ari pointed out.
He urged local governments, KPU and Bawaslu to declare that covert
advertisements in public places violated election campaign regulations.
"They have to remove the pictures of legislative candidates and their
banners from the streets and public transportation vehicles," he noted.
In addition, the KPU and Bawaslu should take immediate steps to prevent
the cases of covert campaigning through mass media from increasing, Ari
said.
"If possible, the KPU should issue a directive that bans pictures of
state officials in public service advertisements," he added.***1***
(T.A014/INE/S012)
EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/Suharto) 06-12-2013 19:54: |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar