BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR — Bali Governor Wayan Koster has stressed that the press must remain critical, objective, professional, and courageous in reporting facts as they are.

Koster made the statement while attending the peak celebration of the 14th anniversary of the Indonesian Online Journalists Association (IWO) and the first anniversary of IWO Bali at the Bali Provincial Tourism Office Hall on Sunday (August 30, 2026).

Koster said the establishment and growth of IWO reflected the rapid development of science, technology, and information. He noted that online media has an advantage in delivering information quickly and making it accessible to the public anytime and anywhere.

According to Koster, mass media plays an important role as a space for interaction between the government and the public. Therefore, journalists must adhere to journalistic rules and ethics while maintaining their critical role in monitoring government policies and development.

“Journalists must have the courage to tell things as they are. If something is bad, report it, but if something is positive, it should also be conveyed to the public. Everything is ultimately aimed at improving the welfare of the people of Bali,” Koster said.

He called on media organizations affiliated with IWO to maintain objectivity and professionalism in their reporting. Information delivered to the public, he said, must reflect actual conditions and should not be fabricated or exaggerated.

Koster also encouraged IWO Bali to actively build synergy and collaboration in overseeing Bali’s development, including helping socialize the direction of Bali’s long-term development under the framework of the 100-Year Bali Development Guidelines.

He said public understanding of Bali’s long-term development direction is important so that people can actively participate in supporting regional development.

Meanwhile, IWO Bali Chairwoman Tri Widiyanti said the organization would continue to play an active role in overseeing Bali’s development while prioritizing the public interest.

Carrying the theme “The Role of the Press in Overseeing Bali’s Development,” Widiyanti said the dissemination of information to the public must be carried out cleanly, responsibly, fairly, and with objectivity as the main principle.

IWO Central Executive Chairman H. Teuku Yudhistira Adi Nugraha also conveyed his congratulations on the 14th anniversary of IWO Indonesia and the first anniversary of IWO Bali.

He said the anniversary was not merely a celebration of the organization’s growth, but also a reminder for all IWO members to strengthen solidarity, professionalism, and independence in carrying out their journalistic duties.

Yudhistira expressed his appreciation and support for IWO administrators and members across regencies and cities in Bali. He urged all members to remain active, produce meaningful work, and uphold the organization’s dignity.

“IWO must become a shared home for online journalists to continue delivering accurate, balanced, educational, and enlightening information to the public,” he said.

He expressed hope that IWO Bali would become increasingly solid and professional and make a tangible contribution to Bali’s progress.

The anniversary celebration featured a traditional tumpeng-cutting ceremony, the presentation of awards to winners of a journalism competition for university students across Bali, a talk show, and the distribution of social assistance to 15 underprivileged children.

Yudhistira also called on all IWO members to maintain unity and continue producing journalistic work while upholding the core values of journalism.

“IWO Bali: united in the organization, strong in the struggle, and dignified in carrying out journalistic duties. A Free Press, a Dignified Democracy.”