According to a report by ANTARA news agency, Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) has highlighted the importance of radio’s vital role in providing information on the COVID-19 pandemic to people in addition to being an accurate information distribution medium to tackle hoaxes.

“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.

Plate also highlighted 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.

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 said.