For the media themselves the start of the campaign period is when election coverage really takes off. By contrast the smooth operation of the regulatory process will depend very largely on the system that has been put in place before the elections. By this stage the fundamental questions should already have been answered, with the media and political parties clearly understanding their roles and responsibilities:
At this point the process of Accreditation of journalists can be started.
It cannot be stressed too strongly that these issues should be determined in advance of the campaign. Determining these important questions of policy on an ad hoc basis will diminish the authority of the supervisory body in relation to the media and create the impression that some media are not receiving equal treatment.
If this preparation has been completed effectively, the operation of the supervisory/regulatory body towards the media during the campaign period will be twofold:
