EC frames code of conduct for media
The Election Commission is going to hand the print and electronic media a code of conduct to abide by while covering the parliamentary and upazila elections so that a sense of accountability and propriety is maintained.
In the meantime, the commission has received a draft copy of the code of conduct for the mass media on election coverage from the UNESCO and it would finalise the media rules within a week after necessary vetting.
UNESCO country representative Malama Meleisea on Tuesday handed over the draft code of conduct to Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda at Biam auditorium in the city.
Election Commissioners M Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain were present on the occasion.
In his speech, the CEC urged the mass media not to publish election results before those are announced by the Election Commission to avert confusion.
“Problems and confusions may arise if the election results are announced by the media before the Commission's announcement.”
He said the code of conduct for the mass media would be made in consultation with political parties, civil society members and media personnel for covering the next parliamentary and local-body elections - now set for December 18 and 28 respectively.
The UN agency's draft code of conduct says the mass media shall disseminate all information and news in connection with the election process in a balanced and fair manner, without being biased.
It says the media should publish or broadcast issues of campaigns, excerpts from campaigns and candidates' speeches, important information about symbols, banners or other campaign materials of the parties and party manifestos. “In all cases, balance in news must be maintained.”
Balance should be maintained in the coverage of candidates and political parties. No candidate and political party should be given substantially more coverage than others. Journalists would not project one candidate or political party to the exclusion of others.
The dos and don'ts further have it that journalists reporting for the mass media shall maintain clear distinctions between their news reports and those of the editorial and post-editorial comments.
Views expressed by candidates or political parties should be reported in a fair and unbiased manner; and as meticulously as possible in their own words, in which were originally spoken or expressed.
One of the responsibilities of the journalists in election-related reporting is to write and publish or broadcast news stories in objective manner. If any candidate, political party or alliance supporting the candidate makes an allegation against another candidate, party or alliance, the journalists must seek comments from both sides to have a complete picture.
Published or broadcast news and other items relating to elections must not reflect the journalists' political beliefs or ideological positions; neither should such matter become evident in the presentation of their analyses.
Should the mass media want to publish or broadcast result of election of a constituency before it is announced officially, they must mention it clearly whether the result is an official or unofficial one.
All relevant matters in the electoral process reflecting the concern of the public, as far as possible, should be included in the news.
The mass media should attempt to inform the largest number of citizens possible, including those who may have traditionally been marginalised or excluded.
All of the mass media, including state-run, private sector and community ones, should ensure that candidates or political parties have equal and unbiased access to comparable airtime and space.
“This does not however mean each party must get exactly same airtime or space, but candidates and parties should be given considerably same amount of time and space.”
State-run audiovisual (broadcast) media should provide free opportunity and equitable access to candidates and representatives of political parties or alliance to participate in radio or TV debates, talk shows and discussions to express their opinions on issues relating to their election agenda, campaigns and policies.
The UNESCO media guidelines say journalists should no way give coverage of any election speeches, excerpts or any other materials having potential to provoke any political or social, ethnic or communal violence.
“Language in news reports, editorials and post-editorial analyses which suggest or express sentiments that may create discrimination on any ground, including gender, religion, political, linguistic or ethnic orientations and social origin of voters or candidates, shall be avoided at all time.”
In publishing or broadcasting any news item, no special treatment shall be accorded to a particular candidate, political party or an alliance, which is supporting the candidate.
Journalists should not hide, suppress or prevent any pertinent information and news relating to election from being disseminated.
The mass media shall not publish or broadcast any electoral information and news in such a way that may confuse the public.
“A journalist shall not accept any incentive from a candidate or political party; and neither shall he or she make any promise to a candidate or political party about the content of a news report.
“Journalists shall regard plagiarism, malicious misrepresentation, libel or unfounded accusation as grave professional offence.”
State-run mass media should refrain from carrying paid political advertisements.
About the opinion polls and election projections, the guidelines reminded that opinion polls have a significant bearing upon voting patterns as well as on the overall electoral process.
If the mass media intend to report on the result and findings of an opinion poll, the code of conduct suggests, they must do so accurately and fairly. They should include all readily available information that would assist the public in understanding the significance of the poll or the projection.
About the duty to make corrections, it says the mass media should take measures to correct any disseminated information found to be inaccurate. “If any error or misrepresentation has been identified in already published or broadcast materials, journalist/media house concerned shall give high priority to carrying out the corrections immediately.”
On maintenance of records, the code of conduct preaches that the editors should do the needful to retain information in connection with the election that they have published or broadcast until 45 days after such dissemination.
“Producers in broadcast media should maintain full records of all news bulletins, and recordings of all other programmes related to the election, including party election broadcast (if any) for the use of reference in case of any complaint or dispute,” says the UN agency-drafted media code.
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