The media plays an important role in monitoring the electoral process. By covering the election events and the political campaign, the media ensures that the public is aware of what is happening. The media also plays a very important investigative role which helps to ferret out fraud and corruption.
For example, in the U.S. state of Florida, the staff of the Miami Herald newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for their investigative reporting on vote fraud. Despite a 'hostile city administration, a public campaign accusing the paper of ethnic bias and attempted intimidation' the newspaper documented ballot fraud, tracing it back to the winning candidate for mayor. Twenty six persons were arrested and the court overturned the election results, appointing the defeated candidate as the new mayor of Miami. 283
Conditions required for an effective media
There are several conditions that must be met for the media to serve as an effective integrity mechanism. It must have access to the electoral process and its participants. It must be able to investigate and report in a safe environment, without fear of intimidation or retribution. And it must be able to publish its reports without censorship. Specifically, it requires:
- Freedom of speech and press. The press should be free to cover and report on election events without restrictions or censorship. Anti-defamation laws should not be used to threaten the press into restricting their coverage. In Kenya, a part of the 1992 electoral reforms included the repeal or amendment of the sedition laws, which had been the legal basis for government harassment of the press and civil society. 284
- Freedom from intimidation and violence. The press needs to be able to investigate and report on their stories without intimidation or fear. The survey by the NGO, Committee to Protect Journalists, on Attacks On The Press found that 34 journalists were murdered and another 87 had been imprisoned in 1999. 285
- Freedom of movement. The press needs to be able to circulate freely throughout the country so it can follow the national campaigns of candidates and to see how election administration is working in outlying areas.
- Access. Reporters must have access to electoral managers, electoral sites, candidates and voters. They must have access to public information, and can be helped through the Freedom of Information laws which give private citizens access to government information.
- Equal treatment. The press should be treated equally, whether it is the government press or private. This applies to access to persons, electoral sites and information as well as issues such as licensing, obtaining airwave frequencies for tv and radio, and access to printing houses or newsprint.
Media Protection and Oversight
The media has gained a degree of protection through international monitoring. For example, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has established a Representative on Freedom of Media. This Representative observes relevant media developments in all 32 participating European states on the freedom of the press and promotes compliance with OSCE principles and commitments on freedom of expression and a free media.286
Several NGOs have also focused their work on the protection of journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) undertakes an annual worldwide survey on attacks on journalists. It recently called on the government of Zimbabwe to guarantee the freedom of journalists to cover the 2000 elections without fear of reprisal, stating: 'CPJ is deeply concerned about the climate of intimidation to which journalists covering the elections are being forced to work.' 287
National and international observers can also monitor freedom of the press issues and the fairness of their election reporting.
Effect on Election Integrity
Good media coverage of the electoral process can help:
Increase transparency. Transparency deters fraud and abuse of the process. It helps improve the system as inconsistencies, problems or other deficiencies are identified and publicized-- forcing election managers or policy makers to fix them. In India, for instance, the media is encouraged to cover the elections as a means to help ensure transparency. The Indian Election Commission provides the media with facilities to cover the process and special passes so they can enter polling stations to cover voting and the count.288
Increase public knowledge and information on the elections, the candidates and the issues. The coverage of the elections in the press, and its analysis of candidate platforms and election issues, provide voters with the information they need to make an informed choice on voting day. It can also provide the factual information needed by voters to participate, such as the day, hours and location for polling.
An example of this role, was Radio UNTAC, in the 1993 elections in Cambodia. According to John Sanderson and Michael Maley:
'Radio UNTAC not only provided potential voters with extensive factual information about the voting process and strongly rebutted attempts to undermine public confidence in the secrecy of the ballot, but also enabled all political parties to convey their positions on an equitable basis.' 289
Exposes fraudulent or questionable actions. The media acts as an integrity watchdog, uncovering fraud and corruption. This not only helps ensure that those responsible are held accountable, but helps deter those who might be contemplating unethical or illegal behavior.
