Different EMB Media Relations Departments will have different mandates, depending on the scope of responsibilities. In some cases, a Media Relations Department might be responsible for media monitoring, for example ensuring campaign broadcasts regulations are adhered to. More information on media monitoring and the various bodies who implement it can be found in the chapter Media Monitoring.
A Media Relations Department is also likely to be responsible for accrediting media, enabling them to be present at electoral events such as voting centres and count or results centres. Furthermore, the department may be tasked with drawing up regulations, including the accreditation process as well as internal procedures such as determining who (within the EMB) can speak to the media and when, how field staff and/or other staff are to respond to approaches by media, a code of conduct for department staff, and so forth. They may even have a regulatory role, tasked with creating and enforcing a Code of Conduct for elections reporting, sometimes in collaboration with media organisations.
There are the above considerations, as well as many more, that EMB media relations staff will want to explore while creating an overall mandate and regulatory framework to work within. It is advantageous to determine this mandate, and regulatory framework, well in advance of any major electoral events.
