Cover elections well, be fair - Open Society Foundation

"Covering the elections well is more than a technical job as a journalist, reporter or presenter - it's also your duty as a human being and as a citizen," OSF-SA said in its report titled 'A touchpad to our future'.

Election resource for journalists

The report, an election resource for journalists for the 2011 municipal elections (this Wednesday, 18 May 2011), was published in March this year by the OSF-SA, together with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The manual has also been endorsed by the South African National Editor's Forum (SANEF) and the SABC.

"When it comes to your role in presenting political party and candidate policies, and debating political issues, you have a much more difficult task- and this is where you need to clearly understand the practical meaning of election rules like fairness to all parties and candidates," said OSF-SA.

Some observers believe the ruling ANC, which constantly accuses the independent media of being some sort of a 'Denis the Menace' to its rule, will likely be pleased by these guidelines, which also preach respect to dignity and privacy.

But, the report also constitutes a wake-up call for the public broadcaster, the SABC, which opposition parties constantly describe as the ruling party's propaganda machine.

As the continent's trends dictate, SA politicians canvassing for votes have been promising 'moon and stars' to the voters, and OSF-SA urges the media to build, through their election programming, a bridge between those promises and commitments, and experiences, concerns, needs, demands and fears of voters.

"Enable votes to make an informed choice"

"Above all, your coverage has to enable voters to make an informed choice on Election Day. It is your duty to provide fellow-citizens with that information," OSF-SA said.

While election laws and codes request the media to create reasonable opportunities for discussion of conflicting or opposing views, OSF-SA warns journalists to differentiate between parties that are serious contenders and smaller parties with very little established support. "But this is no excuse to ignore them."

The guidelines are, however, not only aimed at traditional media, but also at social media such as Twitter and Facebook, whose growth OSF-SA believes is raising fresh ethical issues.

"Ethics do not change with technological changes... I have an ethical commitment to truth as both a journalist and a twitterer," the report said, quoting Javier Restrepo, a Colombian expert on journalistic ethics.

Equitable treatment does not mean equal treatment

Furthermore, the foundation urges the media to be equitable, stating however that equitable treatment does not mean equal treatment. "You do not have to give the same weight to very small parties that you give to serious contenders for a place in local government.

"Treat parties fairly - you can't cover all parties and ward candidates in one programme, but you can be fair over a series of programmes," the report said, adding that each broadcast service or publication should be consistent in its treatment of contesting parties.

"Seek out information: don't rely on parties and candidates to give you information - actively look for it yourself: if you don't do this, parties with more resources will get too much coverage: try to get other information to balance the information you may be given by parties with lots of resources.

"Always carefully credit the sources of the information that you use, and defend accusations of unfairness levelled against you."

For more:

• Google News Search: SABC election bias