Media define Code of Conduct to guide coverage of elections
Media practitioners have committed themselves to a Code of Conduct that will guide coverage of the forthcoming general elections. Thirty-six media owners, managers, editors, producers, journalists and other practitioners representing the majority of media organisations in the country participated in a Roundtable on Monday hosted by the Elections Commission and supported by the Canadian International development Agency (CIDA). The Roundtable, co-ordinated by communications specialists Hugh Cholmondeley and Kit Nascimento, considered the principles, practices and guidelines for coverage during the election campaign period. The participants reached consensus on a Code of Conduct to be observed by newspapers, radio and television stations. The media accepted that a commitment to the Code is desirable in the interest of conducting a fair, peaceful and well-regulated election and avoiding ethnic tension and unnecessary political discord. All the participants also concluded that it was essential for the political parties contesting the elections, as well as their respective candidates on political party lists, to commit themselves to an Electoral Code of Conduct governing their political behaviour during the campaign. Participants held the view that without the political party commitment to an Electoral Code of Conduct, application of the Media Code of Conduct would be extremely difficult to fulfill. The media asked the Chairman of the Elections Commission to use his good offices to provide financing and organisational support for establishing an independent Elections Monitoring and Refereeing Panel. This Panel would monitor and receive complaints regarding the performance of the media in complying with the agreed Code of Conduct. The media agreed to publish the findings of the Panel on all complaints received by it. Another Roundtable will be held within a fortnight. At that time, participants will discuss the specific guidelines and practices for coverage of all aspects of the elections. They will also address the need for regulations to govern radio and television broadcasting during the campaign period; the allocation of free time and space in newspapers, radio and television stations for political parties; equal access to advertising and the publication of advertising rate cards. The Guidelines will also consider issues such as the reporting of meetings and rallies, the conduct of interviews, call-in, audience participation and other programmes, commentaries, voter education, political party debates and the avoidance of inflammatory and tendentious coverage.
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