RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Marking World Press Freedom Day 2026 in Jakarta, Press Council Chairman Komaruddin Hidayat called on stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in safeguarding a professional, ethical, and sustainable press amid the increasingly complex dynamics of the digital information era.

Komaruddin highlighted the challenges of today’s information ecosystem, particularly the rise of disinformation that can distort public perception. He stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration to ensure the press continues to act responsibly and uphold journalistic integrity.

“The press has a strategic responsibility as a guardian of democracy by delivering accurate and reliable information. We safeguard democracy by maintaining a quality, professional, ethical, and sustainable press,” he said in Jakarta on Sunday, May 2, 2026, as quoted by infopublik.id.

The Press Council continues to coordinate with media industry associations, including the Indonesian Private Television Association, and other stakeholders to strengthen journalistic standards and encourage the production of quality content. It also carries out oversight functions through clarification and verification mechanisms to address alleged hoaxes.

“The steps we take are to research, verify, and ensure that all circulating information is accountable,” Komaruddin said.

He added that efforts to maintain press quality must be balanced with improving public literacy, encouraging people to be more critical in filtering information. This, he said, is essential to building a healthy information ecosystem.

In line with this, Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, emphasized that accuracy must remain a top priority despite growing demands for speed. She stressed that the principle of verification should not be sacrificed for faster publication.

“The information conveyed must be accurate and beneficial to the public. This is a major challenge amidst today’s demands for speed,” she said.

Minister Meutya underscored that the public’s right to information must be guaranteed, and the media have a duty to ensure democracy functions well while improving public literacy. The government, she added, is promoting policies to create a fairer media ecosystem, including balancing the relationship between traditional media and digital platforms.

“In addition to maintaining the accuracy of information, we must also ensure the sustainability of the media amid changes in the global digital ecosystem,” she said.

Looking ahead, collaboration between the government, the media industry, and the public is seen as crucial to building an informative and educational public space free from disinformation.

The commemoration of World Press Freedom Day 2026, designated by the United Nations as a moment to reflect on freedom of expression and the role of the media in democracy, serves as a reminder that press freedom must go hand in hand with the responsibility to maintain the integrity and quality of information to support a healthy and sustainable democracy. ***