Muhammad Farhan emphasizes press independence in Bandung

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan emphasized the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity and press independence during the opening of the 2026 West Java Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Provincial Conference. Farhan noted that the era of information disruption and political pressure poses a significant test for the media's role as a pillar of democracy.

He stated that credible media must act as a defense for healthy public communication rather than serving as government mouthpieces or propaganda tools. Farhan highlighted that when media independence fails due to political or economic pragmatism, the public suffers from a lack of accurate information. He also noted that technological advancements require journalists to maintain high ethical standards and technical expertise to distinguish official news from low-quality content.