Towards Commonwealth Model Media Guidelines for Journalists During Elections Guidelines, Training and Other Assistance 24 June 2016

Objectives To strengthen the Commonwealth’s contribution to the delivery of free and fair elections To encourage fair and balanced media coverage of issues and candidates during election campaigns To assist Electoral Management Bodies monitor media performance and encourage responsible reporting

The challenge for EMBs: dealing with growing media ownership by political parties and vested interests, increased partisanship and polarization of media coverage, decreasing public trust in the media (both state and private), increased intimidation and killing of journalists, difficulty of engaging with social media, journalists’ lack of knowledge about the electoral process, ensuring fair distribution of airtime and column inches to political parties, ensuring that media live up to their democratic responsibilities when they are undergoing rapid transformation.

Process – preparation stage Review of existing media guidelines or codes of conduct for elections Development of Commonwealth model media guidelines for reporting during election campaigns Selection of media training partner(s) and preparation of a one-week training course for journalists based on the model media guidelines Selection of expert(s) and preparation of practical guidelines for EMBs to monitor media and encourage balanced journalism during campaigns

Process – delivery stage Pilot the approach during one or two Commonwealth elections Adapt the model media guidelines and training approach to the situation of media in the country holding the election Adapt the EMB guidelines for monitoring media and encouraging balanced reporting to the country situation Train selected journalists from a range of media outlets just before the election campaign starts Place experts within the EMB to assist with media monitoring and encouraging balanced reporting during the campaign

Anticipated Results More balanced reporting of issues and candidates in the election campaign (compared to the campaign immediately prior to the pilot project) Improved capacity to monitor media performance by EMBs Strengthened Commonwealth package to assist in the delivery of election campaigns and improve democratic processes Results from the pilot(s) can then be used to generate funds to extend and expand the programme

The Longer Term: recommendations from BBC Media Action Integrate media issues fully into the electoral cycle, not just in the run up to an election Develop fora for engagement with the media between elections, Equip EMBs to engage proactively with media; appoint professional staff who understand how media operates Train media on election procedures Codes of conduct developed by (not for) media to establish standards that media accept. Encourage media monitoring by non governmental entities (civil society, professional and/or international) that will have credibility with both media and the public Uphold freedom of the media: The more media is controlled, the less it is credible. Act on behalf of the public rather than the government when tensions arise over media coverage Highlight the rule of law, which often prohibits hate speech or libel

Presented by:. Neil Ford, Director of. Communications, Presented by: Neil Ford, Director of Communications, Commonwealth Secretariat Email: n.ford@commonwealth.int Tel: +44 20 7747 6380 24 June, 2016