Information Accessibility for Deaf Persons in Indonesia's 2024 Presidential Debate Broadcasts

Shakila Azzahra Maulana, Herlina Agustin, Muhammad Zen Al-Faqih

Abstract


Background: During Indonesian 2024 Presidential Election’s KPU appointed various TV stations to air the debate broadcasts. Which runs with several flaws. Some of it are pointed by Gerakan untuk Kesejahteraan Tunarungu Indonesia (Gerkatin) being related to the fulfillment of information accessibility for Deaf voters that affected their rights to engage in politics. There’s also no clear statement as to whether any disability organizations were involved in supervising or organizing the debate broadcast, ensuring inclusion of Deaf voters. From this condition, researchers traced existing regulations that guarantee Deaf persons rights to access information and participate in politics. Purpose: This research aims to explore the rights of voters with disabilities (Deaf persons) during Indonesian 2024 Presidential Elections and the role of existing regulations to protect it. Methods: The researchers used qualitative methods to collate information through internet trail, literature and regulation review. Results: The findings show that several existing Indonesia regulations acknowledged Deaf persons rights to information accessibility and rights to engage in politics. However, there are no specific regulations that mandates how TV stations or news media must fulfill Deaf persons rights. The case study shows that exclusion of persons with disabilities/Deaf persons from decision making processes that directly affect their fundamental rights reflects what Muted Group Theory identifies as the dominance, from hearing persons as dominating group. Conclusion: Existing legislation in Indonesia acknowledged Deaf persons rights of information accessibility, yet regulations made by KPI and Dewan Pers haven’t implement followed UU 8/2016. Implications: Indonesia must transition from aspirational statements about disability rights to enforceable standards that mandate genuine inclusion of persons with disabilities/Deaf persons in designing the systems that govern their participation to achieve true information accessibility and political equality.

Keywords


broadcasting; deaf persons; information accessibility; legislation; regulation

References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24198/jkj.v10i1.70967

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