Media boosts Susilo's win: Experts<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The likely victory of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the
\npresidential poll confirms the significant role the media plays
\nin the country's politics, experts say.<\/p>\n
With over 101 million ballots counted, the Susilo-Jusuf Kalla
\nticket remained on top with 61.1 percent of the vote by 10 p.m.
\nWednesday, compared to opponent Megawati Soekarnoputri and
\nrunning mate Hasyim Muzadi's 38.8 percent.<\/p>\n
I Gusti Ngurah Putra, head of Gadjah Mada University's school
\nof communication studies, said on Wednesday that Susilo's
\ncampaign team managed to use the media more effectively than
\nMegawati's.<\/p>\n
\"Susilo's team is better at managing the media, some of which
\nsupport the ticket either openly or secretly, than Megawati's
\nteam,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Megawati had not assigned any media spokesperson for her
\ncampaign, an illustration of how she had neglected the media
\nwhile trying to maintain her popularity since the 1999 election,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"The media started to attack her policies after she took power
\nand there was no one (in her administration) to counter it. This
\nwas not good for her popularity, particularly before a direct
\nelection,\" Ngurah said.<\/p>\n
However, he said Susilo's apparent landslide victory could not
\nbe attributed solely to the media.<\/p>\n
Ngurah said only a minority of Indonesia's more than 220
\nmillion people regularly read serious newspapers and magazines,
\nmostly those in big cities, although broadcast media penetrated
\nmost regions.<\/p>\n
\"The role of the media (in how people vote) is limited. They
\nonly strengthen the preference of voters,\" Ngurah said.<\/p>\n
He said person-to-person communication was likely to have
\nplayed an important role in Susilo's victory.<\/p>\n
\"The Susilo-Kalla ticket won in Papua, Aceh, Central Sulawesi
\nand other remote rural areas. Do the people there have access to
\n(sophisticated) media?\" Ngurah said.<\/p>\n
Triyono Lukmantoro of the Diponegoro University school of
\ncommunication studies said Susilo's achievement confirmed the
\ndeclining influence of political parties.<\/p>\n
\"The media have taken over the position of political parties,
\nwhose role continues to decline in social life here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo, who was from a small new party, defeated Megawati who
\nwas backed by the vast political machinery of established
\nmainstream parties like her Indonesia Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDIP) and Golkar, he said.<\/p>\n
Triyono said Susilo had not only benefited from an incumbent,
\nwhose policies were not popular, his victory was also due to
\neffective image-making, which portrayed him as a calm, smart and
\npolite leader.<\/p>\n
Susilo had managed to maintain this image despite personal
\ncriticism leveled at him early on in the campaign from Megawati's
\nhusband Taufik Kiemas, he said.<\/p>\n
Taufik labeled Susilo, Megawati's former coordinating minister
\nfor political and security affairs, a childish four-star general
\nfor complaining that he was not consulted on several important
\nmilitary policies. The comment backfired and the public ended up
\nsympathizing with Susilo, Triyono said.<\/p>\n
Triyono and Ngurah agreed that nothing, including the
\ninfluence of powerful media or excellent image-makers, could
\nboost the popularity of a candidate if their performance was
\npoor.<\/p>\n
\"Many voters who did not follow politics in the media did not
\nvote for Megawati because of her unpopular policies that had made
\nthem suffer,\" Ngurah said.<\/p>\n
Triyono said a good performance was the most potent way to
\nattract voters.<\/p>\n
\"No matter how much make-up you put on your face, people will
\nnot vote for you if you can't perform.<\/p>\n
\"Presidents must be able to deliver on their promises to
\nimprove people's welfare, otherwise the people will reject them,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/media-boosts-susilos-win-experts-1447893297",
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