A
Media Centre is a media-friendly location for an EMB to conduct its engagement
with media. This means that it has the
necessary space, quiet or privacy, accessibility, and fittings for events such
as press conferences, media briefings, individual interviews and so forth.
The
practicability of having a Media Centre, and the facilities that are put into
it, will depend entirely upon the resources available to the electoral
authorities. There is no doubt that if the funding is available to provide such
a centre, then the quality of media coverage will improve. Gathering the media
in a single centre makes many of the basic functions of media management -
press releases, press conferences, briefings, etc - much simpler. Donors are
sometimes willing to provide funding for at least a modest Media Centre,
particularly if it is seen as building the long-term capacity of the EMB. For
many electoral authorities, however, it is simply beyond their capacity.
A
Media Centre should include some or all of the following:
- Internet connections, telephones and faxes;
- Computers for media use (and which are linked to a
counting results service);
- Television monitor screens;
- Pool feeds for audio and video so that individual
journalists do not have to struggle to place their microphones on the
speaker’s podium or jostle for limited camera space;
- Radio and television studios for conducting interviews.
Where
space constraints dictate, it is reasonable to establish time slots and sign-up
procedures to ensure that all journalists will have at least some access to
these facilities.
Depending
on circumstances a single Media Centre may not be enough for the entire
country. While in other countries this
is not at all practical. In India, for example, the Election Commission of
India requires there to be a media room in each counting centre, as well as a
Media Centre with full facilities in each State.
It is
useful to have a Media Centre up and running well before the election so that
journalists will become familiarized with the facility and the briefing
schedule prior to Election Day. Contacts with service providers (e.g., the
telephone company) should be undertaken well in advance to ensure that the
Centre is up and running on schedule. It is also best to maintain the Centre in
operation at least until the final announcement of official results.
