"The ministry observes that radio plays an important role by providing information through a variety of talk shows, information dissemination activities, as well as public service announcements regarding COVID-19 pandemic," Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate told ANTARA as quoted here Thursday.
Plate lauded the information distribution effort made by the Local Public Radio Broadcast Institution (LPPL) as well as other parties in the regions.
Plate highlighted the ministry's assessment that the COVID Alert Radio movement, by the Indonesia's Radio Community Network (JRKI), plays an important role in stemming the spread of hoaxes and disinformation related to COVID-19.
Radio not only plays a part in spreading information but it also offers public services, such as the online learning program for students during COVID-19 pandemic, he remarked.
"Moreover, radio can assist in conducting long-distance learning in several areas encountering problems in providing an online learning service for their students," he pointed out.
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On a separate occasion, Head of Jakarta's Public Broadcaster RRI (LPP RRI) Enderiman Butar-Butar echoed his group's unwavering commitment to serving the people amid the pandemic by holding a broadcasting program and news segments on mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
"LPP RRI's journey for the last two years ever since the pandemic struck has been one of total commitment, meaning that our programs have been focusing on how to mitigate and how to stop the spread of COVID-19 from all sides," he expounded.
He noted that amid the pandemic, RRI will offer news content that is informative, uplifting, and not traumatizing, as well as support the government's program to stop the spread of COVID-19.
RRI also remains committed to fighting the spread of hoaxes among people.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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