Basic Guidelines in Elections Reporting

Basic Guidelines in Elections Reporting
 

INTRODUCTION

At all times, and especially during elections, the media have a critical role to play in informing the public about issues, events, and personalities that may have an impact on their lives. To do this effectively, media practitioners need to understand and appreciate several basic guidelines which include:

• Their duty to inform;
• Rules Regarding elections coverage;
• Protection of freedom of expression during elections; and,
• Implementation/applicability of the guidelines

Duty to inform

• Media have a general duty to inform the public about matters relevant to elections
• Parties or candidates have a right to airtime or direct access to programmes on a fair and non-discriminatory basis
• The media have an obligation to provide special information programmes
• The media have an obligation to ensure voters understand how to exercise their vote
• Prior to an election, the media have the duty to ensure that the public is informed about relevant electoral matters such as the political parties, candidates, campaign issues and voting processes

The media has a duty to be balanced and impartial in their election reporting and not to discriminate against any political party or candidate. This duty requires that news, current affairs, interview and information programmes must not be biased in favour of, or against, any party or candidate
 

Rules regarding elections coverage

It is extremely important that the media exhibits exemplary balance and impartiality in their treatment of news and other informative programmes.

• The media have a duty to provide information necessary for the public to understand the significance of any opinion polls broadcast
• Protection for Freedom of Expression during polls
• The media must seek out, expose, and explain laws that illegitimately restrict freedom of expression and advocate for the repeal
• The media must constantly and consistently pressure authorities to investigate and deal with threats and attacks on the media
• Media practitioners must ensure that neither the authorities nor the media should censor election programmes in any way
• The media have qualified exemption from legal liability for unlawful statements by candidates during election broadcasts

Implementation/applicability of the guidelines

• The media must avail space for right of correction or reply in response to illegal statements
• The media must always make reference to the Electoral Code of Conduct whenever in doubt
• The media must always advocate for an independent, impartial body established/appointed to monitor election broadcasts and hear complaints
• The media must pressure authorities to make special efforts to investigate all acts of violence, intimidation or harassment against media, or property and premises of a media outlet, and to bring those responsible to justice, particularly where the act was motivated by an intent to interfere with media freedom
• The media have a right to be exempted from legal liability for unlawful statements by election reporting
• The media must not discriminate against any political party or candidate
• All media are obliged to adhere to the values of balance and impartiality

Summary

During elections, the media must be aware of their duty to inform, rules governing elections coverage, protection of freedom of expression and how election guidelines apply in the electoral process.