The Association will continue to tirelessly remind our fellow journalists to not be coquettish in their reporting
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), Atal S. Depari, emphasized that coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic by the mass media should be informative and comforting to the people.

"The Association will continue to tirelessly remind our fellow journalists to not be coquettish in their reporting," he stated at a press conference of the Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling, broadcasted through the BNPB YouTube account in Jakarta, Friday.

Depari noted that some media platforms came up with headlines that differed from the content of the reported news, with the sole intention to grab the public’s attention.

Such practice of journalism is worrisome, as it could mislead people, especially those only skimming through headlines without reading the news content.

Although some reporters are getting jaded and frustrated owing to the COVID-19 impact, Depari further vowed to not give up and continue to report on the impact and handling measures of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It has been almost three months of exhaustion, with the reporters almost frustrated, not in reporting the stories, but maybe since they were not provided adequate protective equipment by their employer companies. Nevertheless, we will not be whiny," he remarked.

Depari further highlighted the aggressive approach of the media in reporting health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, right from washing hands using soap and running water to the use of masks.

"The media has also been reporting on positive initiatives started by the public without disregarding corrections and critiques directed at poor implementation," he noted.

The press has also taken concrete steps to raise funds. The Association, for instance, through PWI Cares, has raised funds for journalists and the public, including medical workers, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Translator: Dewanto Samodro/Aria Cindyara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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