Indonesian Local Televisions Obstacles in Combating Hoaxes in Social-Media

Abstract

Hoax or fake news spread rapidly in Indonesia with the help of social media. People seemed to have a low digital literacy which can increase the speed of the deception in social media. This deception has a high hypnotism power because even educated people often get deceived or involved themselves in this deception. The Anti Hoax campaign has also proven to be ineffective, and hoaxes are still milling about. One of the reasons is that the role of mass media is not maximal in combating hoax or fake news. Having televisions as one of the still favourite mass media in Indonesia, the audiences have more excellent opportunities in combating hoax spreading. A total of 394 local TV stands in Indonesia. Why is it still ineffective? What obstacles do local TVs face in combating this deception in three big cities in Indonesia? The study used a descriptive qualitative approach to acknowledge the obstacles that local stations face in producing anti-deception information, and what is the solution that local TV provides in the middle of its limitations. The results of the study show that the obstacles that local TV stations in Bandung, Padang and Jakarta face relating on the packaging of the anti-hoax program on televisions, the financial problem, and human resources issues. Local government lawyers and alternative medicine advertisements are solutions to financial problems, and joint news agencies can provide quality antideception programs.