For the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), collaborating with media companies is an ideal form of synergy and collaboration during these non-election periods. The mass media can fulfill its role as a provider of information and education, while also acting as a social control mechanism by monitoring the government and addressing public issues related to election supervision. Furthermore, it can enhance its role as a public opinion shaper and encourage public participation in democracy.
If anyone believes that Bawaslu only oversees the election stages, that is a misconception. Bawaslu is not solely a procedural democracy monitor; it also works to strengthen democracy beyond the stages.
Therefore, synergy and collaboration with the mass media are long-term strategic steps that must be taken.
As someone who has pursued a career in journalism, even sacrificing three opportunities to become a civil servant, I fully understand the role of media companies as strategic partners for Bawaslu. In fact, Bawaslu's work closely resembles journalistic work, including investigating cases such as alleged vote buying, which have been notoriously difficult to uncover.
Some of the expected benefits of implementing this collaboration with media companies are:
a. Optimized dissemination and dissemination of information on supervision of the stages and non-stages of the General Election through mass and
electronic media;
b. Improved quality and quantity of reporting/dissemination of information on the activities of the Lhokseumawe City Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslih) in election supervision;
c. Increased human resource capacity of the Lhokseumawe City Panwaslih in the field of information management and public communication.
Collaboration and cooperation with the mass media is a strategic step by both institutions to have a broader impact on the dissemination and dissemination of information on supervision of the stages and non-stages of the General Election in Lhokseumawe City, Aceh, Indonesia.
Even though the 2024 Election has been completed, the Lhokseumawe City Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslih) and the mass media can play a role in filling the democratic space after the 2024 Election and leading up to the 2029 Election with educational information, outreach activities, strengthening human resources and other productive activities to improve the quality of democracy, especially the implementation of non-stage election supervision.[]
activities with journalists in Lhokseumawe, Aceh (Indonesia).
