MEDIA CODES OF CONDUCT FOR ELECTION REPORTING · RECOGNISING the significance of the forth - coming...

MEDIA

CODES OF

CONDUCT FOR

ELECTION

REPORTING

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MEDIA CODES OF CONDUCT

FOR ELECTION REPORTING

PREFACE

The biggest test of professionalism and ethicalconduct of the Tanzanian media has been inthe way they have handled political transi-tions as marked by elections. The media needto revisit the Codes on electioneering and elec-tion reporting to gauge their effectiveness aspreparations start for coverage of anothermajor election.

These Codes have been designed to ensurethat the media remain above the fray and de-liver accurate and fair account of the electoralprocess. They are about truth, accuracy, bal-ance and fairness.

They go further and help journalists with tipsin the form of questions to confirm that theirstories meet professional standards, but alsothat they have effectively served as a voice ofthe voters. The Codes should be read alongwith the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT)Codes of Ethics for Media Professionals,

which the country’s media subscribe to.

MCT is indebted by a number of people in thepreparations of these Codes; and I wish to rec-ognize senior journalists who took part in thisprocess. Mr. Wenceslaus Mushi who re-viewed the codes; Ms. Joyce Bazira, Ms.Hawra Shamte, Mr. Theophil Makunga, Mr.Attilio Tagalile and Mr. Ali Uki who peer re-viewed it, and all those who in one way or an-other were involved in the preparations of thisimportant publication.

Kajubi D. MukajangaThe Executive SecretaryMedia Council of Tanzania2015

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INTRODUCTION

The challenge of objectivity, impartiality andbalance in media is faced daily by

Tanzanian journalists, but there is no test ofprofessionalism greater than that posed by

a political election. During an election, the im-pulse to manipulate the media and to controlinformation is the strongest among ruling par-ties and political leaders running for office.

The media in Tanzania recognise that theirfirst duty is to provide citizens with access

to all impecable facts, opinions and ideasbeing canvassed in the campaign. The role ofthe media primarily is to be the link betweenvoters, the community and the political lead-ership. Hence the media is a crucial and im-portant player in the democratic process. Themedia should not behave as loudspeakers of

politicians but provide gateway to ordinarypeople so that citizen’s voices can be heard.

Elections usually bring out the worst in politi-cians (and journalists) – extreme opinions, ex-travagant promises and intemperate speech,and reporters and editors should be wary ofpropagating hate speeches, violent rhetoricsand offensive opinions through their re-portage. Keeping the peace is the job of thepolice, but journalists should not do anythingthat may incite intolerance or hatred.

It is with this in mind that the Media Code ofConduct for Election Reporting in Tanzaniawas first developed and published in 2000 forthe Presidential and General Elections. Thecodes were reviewed for the 2010 electionsand this is the third edition for the 2015 elec-tions.

The Codes provide standards to guide jour-nalists when reporting the electoral processfrom the pre-elections, the campaigns and cul-minating to the polling day and the post elec-

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tion periods. The Codes sketch the dos anddon’ts which journalists need to be aware ofso that they can avoid the many pitfalls andchallenges that the journalists encounter dur-ing this tumultuous period.

It is my hope that these codes will be a refer-ence point for journalists when met with thevarious ethical and professional challengeswhen covering the electoral process.

The will of the people shall be the basis forthe authority of government; this will shallbe expressed in periodic and genuine elec-tions which shall be by universal and equalsuffrage; and shall be held by secret vote orby equivalent free voting procedures - Uni-versal Declaration on Human Rights, 1948

PREAMBLE:

We, practitioners and other stakeholders inthe media industry;

RECOGNISING the significance of the forth-coming General Elections;GUIDED by the desire to facilitate free, fairand democratic electioneering and elections,

DETERMINED to assist voters make in-formed choices,

HEREBY agree on and adopt a Code of Con-duct for covering the Elections as follows:

1. Truthi. Journalists covering elections must seek

the truth and report it precisely andsoberly

ii Media houses should do the utmost tocorrect promptly any misleading infor-mation they may have published oraired.

2. Accuracy and Fairness Journalists must ensure that their election re-ports are accurate, and must at all times strivefor fair, impartial and balanced coverage,

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achieved by allocating reasonable space andairtime to all sides of an issue. For instance,Dr. Augustine Mahiga is not the same as Dr.Augustine Maiga. The first comes from Iringaand the second from Tabora to North Westernpart of Tanzania. The same goes for pronun-ciation of names by the electronic media.

They must ensure that they obtain commentsfrom anyone who is mentioned in an un-favourable context in their stories.

All claims must be tested against the evidence.Getting the correct information and reportingit accurately is professional journalism.

The words of candidates must be reportedcorrectly to accurately convey their meaning,and to explain the context without exaggera-tion.

3. SourcesJournalists must observe professional ethicsby keeping secret the identities of people who

pass crucial information to them in confi-dence. People will hold back important infor-mation from journalists if they fear that theirnames will be revealed.

The journalists should be guided by interna-tionally accepted professional standards inobtaining and processing the information, byfor example not using the information for per-sonal gain.

4. Separation of fact and opinionIn all media, there must be a clear separationbetween fact and comment. Publicly fundedmedia may not take an editorial line in favourof any political party or candidate.

No matter what editorial position a publica-tion or broadcasting station takes, accurate re-porting of the facts is the journalist’s priority.

This guideline equally applies to radio andtelevision presenters and other media com-municators.

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5. Gifts, Favours and Special Treatment Journalists should resist any form of manipu-lation relating to the electoral process. Theyshould refuse gifts, favours or special treat-ment from interested parties as this couldcompromise their impartiality.

6. Media Owners’ Obligations Media owners and managers should promotefree and fair election coverage by developingcapacity and providing adequate resources foreffective election coverage.

They should also:i. Give equitable access to all candidates

and political parties because it is in thenational and people’s interest to do so.

ii. Promote unity, peace, and stability.

iii. Commit to contribute towards theachievement of free and fair electionsby developing the capacity of their re-spective media institutions and refrain-

ing from interfering in editorial inde-pendence.

iv. Editors ObligationsThey are currently under spotlight, ac-cused by reporters of misguiding ormisleading them, especially during therun-up to elections. Once bought off bypoliticians or political parties, there isnothing reporters can do no matterhow much one may want to become aprofessional in the field.

v. Editors need to know what is going onthe ground which could be hundredsof kilometers away. Present day cor-ruption includes (as witnessed duringthe 2014 Kalenga and Chalinze by-elec-tions which took the form of wholesalepurchase of entire media houses tocover only one political party through-out the political campaigns)….some-thing missing??

vi. Such a problem can only be avoided if

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editors know what is going on theground, sometimes many kilometresaway from the office; and one way ofdoing that is getting a person on theground who is not part of the media foran independent view.

7. Opinion PollsOpinion polls conducted or used by the mediaon elections, electoral process or politicaltrends should be fair and balanced.

The media should provide all available infor-mation that will help to interpret the trendsand to make informed choices.

Any report should, where possible, includethe following information:• Who commissioned and carried out the poll and

when• How many people were interviewed • Where and how were they interviewed • What is the margin of error• The exact wording of the questions and• Who financed the poll

8. Hate Speech and IncitementThe media must refrain from giving space orairtime to hate speech or utterances that mightincite violence or cause social turmoil.

Journalists must avoid using language or ex-pressing sentiments

that may further discrimination or violence onany grounds, including race, sex, language, re-ligion, political or other opinions and nationalor social origins.

9. MinoritiesThe media should not discriminate againstdisadvantaged or marginalised people andgroups, including women, people with dis-ability and the youth to participate in politicalleadership. They should refrain from coveragethat is biased, reinforcing existing prejudicesagainst such groups.

Media should encourage the above groups to

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contest, irrespective of their political affilia-tion, by raising public awareness of their im-portance in public life, and by rebuking allattempts or moves aimed at suppressingthem. Journalists should also show the publicthe great leadership potential that lies in themarginalized groups.

10. Media HousesJournalists should get in touch with the Tan-zania Communication Regulatory Authority(TCRA), the Tanzania National Electric Com-pany (TANESCO) and any other relevant au-thority to find out whether interfered radio ortelevision signals during electoral period isdeliberate or accidental. Such prompt inter-vention may help to curb possible sabotageagainst opposition parties.

11. The same thing goes for the print media. Disappearance in bulks of newspapers (ortheir non-arrival to their respective destina-tions) during election process need to be re-ported and reasons given out promptly for the

same reason as noted above with respect toelectronic media.

12. AdvertorialsMedia houses should identify and chargeequal rates to advertorials from all politicalparties but desist from publishing or airingadvertorials, commentaries and columns thatseek to create hatred and endanger nationalpeace and security. They should, however,clearly identify advertorials in order to distin-guish them from editorial content.

13. Media and Electoral LawsMedia, like all other stakeholders in the elec-tion process, must ensure they understandand adhere to all the electoral laws and anyamendments that Parliament makes to thoselaws and expose practices that violate them.

14. Media and Civil Society:The media should work in partnership withcivil society in providing civic and voter edu-cation, training as well as monitoring andevaluating the entire electoral process.

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15. IdentificationJournalists should always carry identificationproving they work in the media. Such identi-fication will be issued by the Government In-formation Department or National ElectoralCommission or Zanzibar Electoral Commis-sion.

16. Attacks and threatsJournalists should report any attacks orthreats against them to their employers andthe police. The Media should report threatsagainst journalists as news, and should de-mand the protection of journalists.

17. Journalists on assignmentJournalists should always tell someone else :-their editor, their co-workers or their familieswhere they are going and when they will re-turn.

18. The Electoral ProcessJournalists must be acquainted with the elec-toral process, electoral bodies, regulations andlaws, along with their strengths and weak-

nesses, in order to be effective in disseminat-ing voter information and education. Withoutthorough knowledge of the four items, jour-nalists would not be different from two com-petiting soccer teams whose players don’tknow the 17 FIFA rules that govern the game.

19. Electoral malpracticesThe media have a responsibility to investigateand expose electoral malpractices.

20. Voter information and educationJournalists should provide voters with infor-mation that would help them make informedchoices. They should capture the significanceof events and their impact as well as provideunderstanding of issues raised in politicalcampaigns.

21. Responsibility to votersThe media should encourage voters to expresstheir opinion and views.

22. Human RightsThe media should promote democratic values

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and human rights issues.

23. Political ActivityJournalists on duty throughout electionsshould never wear political colours, badges orslogans, and should not accept favours frompolitical party workers or candidates.

• But for the foregoing to work effectively,media owners should empower their insti-tution to cater, appropriately, for the needsof their employees by making them inde-pendent in terms of their passage from andto political and other campaigns.

24. The Day Before Election Day The media are advised against running/broadcasting stories, commentaries and/orgraphics that promote or seem to promote in-dividual parties or candidates on the eve ofelections.

Journalists should follow up stories fromprint and electronic media that violate the

foregoing by getting interpretations fromMCT and TCRA. Prompt intervention by themedia on such problems would help in curb-ing malpractice which is rife even in the pres-ent election process (2015).

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WHAT JOURNALISTS

MUST BEAR IN MIND:

Responsibility:

Journalism is not defamatory; it does not re-peat inaccurate allegations and insults or twistthe truth about a person.

Allegations and offensive speech can be re-ported, but the story

must be balanced by ensuring the allegationor offensive is answered. It’s important theprint and electronic media to bear in mindthat apart from providing the three knownimportant elements, education, entertainmentand information, they are also depositories ofhistory, which includes violence and those be-hind it once that happens as it did in Kenyaduring the 2007/08 post-election violence.

The International Criminal Court (ICC in the

Hague) would not have done what they arepresently doing without getting hard evi-dence from the people, the media, humanrights groups and civic society groups.

Good journalism does not simply repeat whathas been reported somewhere without check-ing the facts.

Malice

Journalism is powerful. News reports can ruinpoliticians’ reputations, put party members indanger, or cause public protest.

Professional journalists do not misuse theirpower by twisting the news and using it as aweapon to deliberately harm anyone.

Corruption

Professional journalists do not accept bribes.A Good journalist does not accept specialfavours from any politician or political party.Good journalism is not for sale. Whenever

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possible, the media should pay its way.

Journalists must check their stories using thefollowing marker questions:

1. Is this story accurate? Are the facts andnames correct and do I believe the infor-mation is true?

Have I made every effort to confirm thatthe information is true?

2. Is this story impartial and balanced? Doesit include both sides

or alternative views; and does it presentthe news without giving any specialfavour to one party or candidate?

3. Was this news obtained without bribes orillegal actions and does it protect sourcesand not violate the election and presslaws?

Media as Election WatchdogThe media are a watchdog against corruptionand illegal activity in election. To dischargethis role effectively, it must report problemsand possible violations of the rules, as well asto inform voters about issues and the politicalparties and candidates’ policies.

The media do not work for the Electoral Com-mission or for political parties. Their respon-sibility is to focus on the election process andexpose corruption or other illegal activities.

Reporters need to be well aware of the elec-tion rules, how the National Electoral Com-mission operates and how voting will beconducted.

What to watch out for:

i. Voters’ Rights: • Are all eligible citizens on the voters’ list

or registered to vote?• Are all voters free to hear and discuss the

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parties and issues without fear?• Do parties threaten voters or election offi-

cials or tell voters for whom to vote?• Do parties or officials try to bribe voters

with money, large gifts or promises ofjobs?

• Do voters understand their role and theimportance of voting, and do they knowtheir choices?

• Do women and minorities feel safe in vot-ing?

ii. Candidates’ and Party Rights• Are all qualified parties and candidates al-

lowed to run in the election?• Are candidates representing minorities, re-

gion and different political opinions all al-lowed to seek election?

• Are all parties able to hold public meetingswithout fear?

• Are the election rules and limits appliedequally to all parties?

• Are the police protecting all parties as theycampaign, distribute information and hold

public meetings?• Are the parties willing to disclose where

they get their money?• Are government officials neutral and not

using government money and resourcessuch as vehicles to favour one party?

• Is the political party that is in governmentmaking many announcements of newprojects just when the election campaignbegins?

This is unfair practice, considering that the oppo-sition parties cannot use such advantage in entic-ing potential voters.

iii. The Election Process

• Are the voters ’lists complete?• Are voters left off the lists able to vote after

showing proper identification?• Are ballots easily understood by voters

who cannot read?• Do voters easily understand the voting in-

structions?

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• Are there enough ballots, ballot boxes, andofficials to observe the voting and countthe ballots?

• Are there security arrangements to protectpeople going to vote?

• Are there security arrangements to protectthe ballot boxes so nobody can stuff themwith false ballots?

• Is the Electoral Commission seen as impar-tial, independent and honest?

• Are there international and independentobservers who are monitoring the elec-tion?

• Does the Electoral Commission respondquickly to complaints from the media, thevoters and the political parties about all al-leged violations of the election laws?

• Does the Electoral Commission investigateand stop violations of the election laws?Are violators penalised in any way?

• Are the media, non-governmental organi-sations and international observers able toobserve and report to the public about theelection process without interference or

fear?

MEDIA APPEAL TO POLITICAL PARTIESAND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE

2015 GENERAL ELECTIONFor the media to effectively play their rolein ensuring free and fair elections, politi-cal parties and other institutions shouldundertake to respect the rights of journal-ists to report the elections and also ensuretheir physical safety by:

Refraining from harassing them verballyand/or physically, or inciting crowds,groups or individuals to do so

Allowing journalists to operate freely inany part of the country without fear of in-timidation, except for restricted areas

Not manipulating journalists coveringelections by offering them gifts, favoursor special treatment

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Using existing mechanisms such as themedia Council of Tanzania, Press clubs,the National Electoral Commission andthe Coordinating Unit of the InformationDepartment to channel complaints aboutitems broadcast or published

Facilitating media’s coverage of partyconferences and campaign events by in-forming them in advance of dates, timesand venues

The electoral authorities providing themedia with complete, accurate andtimely information about the electionprocess

The National Electoral Commission(NEC) should set aside a budget for jour-nalists to enable them cover the electionefficiently. The government should finan-cially enable all media houses to providecivic and voter education

The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) to

take the oversight role of disseminatingthe Code and monitoring adherence to it

The government should not discriminatethe media in allocating advertisementsand advertorials on the election

ADOPTION:

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MEDIA

CODES OF

CONDUCT FORE ELECTIONR REPORTING

MEDIA CODES OF CONDUCT FOR ELECTION REPORTING · RECOGNISING the significance of the forth - coming...

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