The ministry expects journalists to continue to highlight information to all Indonesians for the sake of making the people smarter and maintaining the nation's unity.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Communication and Informatics' spokesperson Dedy Permadi affirmed that journalists play a crucial role in highlighting and expediting changes in the people to continue the nation's struggle.

"Since the colonial period until independence to this day, journalists have always continued the struggle to highlight trusted information and to transform Indonesia into an advanced nation," he told ANTARA on Wednesday.

Moreover, on the occasion of National Press Day, commemorated today on February 9, Permadi also lauded journalists, who have tirelessly covered news on the field despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"The need to cover news directly on the field has made journalism an occupation with a high risk of exposure to COVID-19," he pointed out.


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The ministry understands the importance of the journalists' role and active participation to deliver information to Indonesians to provide explanation and protect the people from hoaxes, he remarked.

"Through their variety of products, journalists could help deliver accurate and enlightening narrations that could make Indonesians smarter," he elaborated.

The government continues to support journalism independence and basic individual rights.

The government also understands that journalism independence is currently affected by technological factors that dictate interactions between audience and the news source.


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"The ministry expects journalists to continue to highlight information to all Indonesians for the sake of making the people smarter and maintaining the nation's unity," he remarked.

"The presented information should be real, fact-based, and credible," he stressed.

Moreover, journalists should also give due thought to the impact and to build humanism from the information that they publish.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff for Information and Political Communication at the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Juri Ardiantoro noted that the press plays an important role in determining Indonesia's future.

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Translator: Arnidhya Nur Z, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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