JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said that the news for officials in the country is often twisted by the media.
This was conveyed by Mahfud in a discussion session with the Press Council and editors and heads of press associations which was held online on Wednesday, August 4.
According to him, the current mainstream media can protect themselves by making reports that are far from being hoaxes and spreading sensations. The goal is to make the news objective and cool the public.
"The mainstream media should keep themselves from spreading sensations and hoaxes," said Mahfud, quoted from his written statement, Thursday, August 5.
He understands that the media needs to create clickbait with catchy titles so that people are interested in reading them. However, Mahfud asked that the title should not make the reader draw the wrong conclusion.
In the forum, he also mentioned that the information circulating in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic was worrying. The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) said a lot of hoax information was rampant, especially on social media.
Mahfud said, during January 23 to August 3 there were 1,827 hoax information related to COVID-19 and 278 of them related to vaccines.
The hoax has been attempted to be taken down from social media. However, hoaxes continue to grow and multiply so that people become victims.
"At this point the role of media friends is needed to balance credible news and enlighten the public," said Mahfud.
"Don't let (media, red) actually be tempted to participate in making sensational news angles or titles resembling hoaxes on social media," he concluded.
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