Electoral Process Coverage: State Broadcaster - Essay Example

Whip Brother San Diego, 61486 watatu@whipbrother.com May 8th, 2013 Edna Ipalei Citizen Watchdog Coordinator InterNews Eipalei@INTERNEWS.ORG Dear Ms. Ipalei, I write to inform you that my monthly report on media coverage is ready. The report is titled ‘Election Process Coverage by the State Media’ and is six paged. The report’s contents include; table of content, executive summary, report text, introduction, project statement, and methods used findings, analysis, conclusion and agenda (reference, appendices) remember to look at the recommendations so that you take the necessary steps as we agreed during our last focus group discussion. I look forward to hear from you on when you expect the report. For any direction, contact me at the above address. Sincerely, Whip Brother Radio MONITOR TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary………………………………………………………………… I-Report Text II-Introduction and Methodology........................................................................................ III-Problem Statement………………………………………………………………… IV-Findings (a)Findings on gender balance…………………………………. (b) Findings on issues covered and fairness……………………………… (c) Findings on dangerous speech……………………………………………. V - Analysis............................................................................................................................. VI - Conclusion.................................................................................................................... (i) Recommendations.................................................................................... (ii) Appendices………………………………………………………………. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Internews’ Free and Fair Media program focuses on election related issues. The program aims to monitor a number of radio stations in the state to asses their coverage of the electioneering period that is; Pre-election period, Election Campaign period, Polling Day and the day the Results were announced. This monitoring project involves monitoring dangerous speech in the media and the role of the media in promoting peace and conflict mitigation. There are different media topics being covered including, including gender, dangerous speech, issue based coverage, fairness and balance. The report looks into the challenges that the radio station faced and recommendations that when implemented could improve the situation. The report also documents the findings by the media monitors in the period 1st January – 9th March 2013. All cases of reported speech were independently verified. The geographical scope of the content covered was primarily national. This survey indicates that in most of the programs monitored, it is male voices that were dominant as both journalists and sources of information. In terms of political party coverage, Cord Coalition received much airtime compared to other political parties with campaigns and rallies emerging as the popular source of coverage. The report also found out that due to little public awareness of hate speech and is consequences the citizens preserve it for politicians and “big” people in the government. REPORT TEXT This report aims to finding out if KBC Swahili Radio station management and journalist’s adherence to the professional code of conduct, that is the journalism code of conduct and the electoral body’s guidelines pertaining coverage of its activities as stipulated in the constitution. The key purposes are;  Assess the level of media house’s management’s awareness of its obligations and responsibilities in terms of their influence on the working of journalists  Assess the level of understanding of adherence to the journalism code of conduct by the journalists. INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY The free and fair media program supports a group of media institutions and mainstream media outlets to report fairly and responsibly in matters relating to electoral process. By doing so, these institutions will be playing a positive role of disseminating electoral information. The program trains journalists to professionally report on the electoral process by applying conflict-sensitive approaches, identify hat speech and how to subsequently avoid it, how to use thepollin data. There is also mitigation of conflict arising from political ownership of media houses. Since the media was largely blamed in the last general election for fuelling the animosity among the electorate, lack of goodwill in ensuring responsible coverage, it was important that a journalism culture that supports democratic and responsible elections be promoted. A journalism that is responsive to the voters’ needs and expectations. There is need for journalists to carry out their duties responsibly, more so when covering elections. The monitoring covered various radio stations in areas perceived to be hotspots mainly in the western and Eastern parts of the country. They include KBC Idhaa ya Taifa. PROBLEM STATEMENT This report covers election coverage of the electioneering period in Kenya in the run up to the 2013 General electrons. It confines itself to the state broadcasters’ coverage of the period. KBC Radio has its frequency at 92.9 FM and uses the national language, Swahili as the main language in its programs spread out throughout the day. Mostly the programs monitored were of political in nature and news bulletins. These outlets were selected 1) on the basis of reach, listenership, popularity and access by different ethnic groups; 2) because they demonstrated a potential to act as incendiary agents for ethnic animosity at the height of the 2007/08 post election violence; 3) because of vested interest- ownership. FINDINGS The information bellow gives a detailed account of how the state broadcaster performed during the entire electoral process and how it covered all the events. THE ELECTORAL PROCESS (i) Pre-Election Period During this time the station through its various programs such King’ora cha Uchaguzi that aired on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM where information on voter registration, voting procedure and matters related to election which was hosted by Bernard Maranga, Caro Robi, Martin King’asia as the presenter and invited guests such as Martin Mwanjie who apart from being a presenter he doubled up as the station’s political analyst. The breakfast shows also had arising issues of great impact to common mwananchi discussed and finally the news feature from 0830hrs to 0900hrs covered news of great weight. Also brought to people’s attention was the color of the ballot papers as shown bellow. Program Topic Discussed Presenter(s) Guest(s) and occupation King’ora cha Uchaguzi 8th February 2013 Internal security-the measures put in place to ensure there is enough security on the election day Bernard Maranga Charles Owino Bonny Musambi Cynthia Anyango Acting Police Spokesperson King’ora cha Uchaguzi Wanawake na uchaguzi- 18th February 2013 Lillian Mahiri Zaja-Deputy Chairperson IEBC Darubini 12th February 2013 Kennedy Epalat Wylickister Muga N/A Swala ibuka CORD Alliance’s allegations that the state through the Head of Public Service NSIS Director and Chief of Defence Forces was campaigning for Jubilee Alliance where a phone conversation between the presenter and the supposed guest was played. In it, information on what steps the IEBC could take against the Jubilee Alliance should the accusations be found true was availed. IEBC Chairperson Isaack Hassan meets all presidential candidates and their IT teams to demonstrate to them how the BVR kits will be used. (ii) Election Campaign Here the various candidates are supposed to be given equal opportunity to express themselves as they sell their manifestos to the electorate, however, this was only experienced in Nairobi county and only to two candidates that is Mike Sonko a senator aspirant, Margaret Wanjiru a Senator aspirant and Esther Passaris a women Representative yet there were many candidates and above all it was supposed to cover all counties nationwide. This implies lack of fairness in coverage. KBC Radio gave the electorate time to express themselves on various election issues, campaign unfolding, however, there was no comparison and criticism of the programmes and manifestos of the various political alliances. The station really campaigned for and promoted peace among the citizens by playing on air music or songs that had peace messages for example Amani a song by Nyota Ndogo that described the country Kenya as an orphaned child crying over her dead mother’s breasts, thus, that needs help to survive and the help was peace by us citizens joining together, ‘…..ninataka amani ya kutuleta pamoja….’ (iii) Voting Day This involves observing and reporting on voting operations which was fulfilled whereby the audience was updated on what was going on in various parts of the country. For instance, when all the presidential aspirants went to vote in their respective polling stations, focus was also on the long queues seen in various voting centres in the country During this day the audience was informed on the importance of the voting exercise, hence, it was urged to come out in large numbers. It was also lead through the voting process; the elective posts that people were voting for, the color of the ballot papers and the documents required before one could vote. (iv) Announcement of Results The announcement of the results by the relevant authorities was covered live from the national tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya but the political demonstrations, reactions of various candidates was not adequately covered. RECOMMENDATIONS • Considering a clause in article 34(4) of the constitution of Kenya which states that all state owned media shall;  Be free to determine independently the editorial content of their broadcasts or other communications  Be impartial and  Afford fair opportunity for representation of divergent views and dissenting opinions The station’s journalists should stick to the journalism code of conduct by being accurate, fair, independent, accountable, confidential, and obscene and have a tone and taste for reporting. • The communications Act should be amended to align with the constitution so that the station should be transformed from a state broadcaster to a purely public broadcaster Reference Stifftung, F.R, (2012). Africa Media Barometer; The First Home Grown Analysis of The Media Landscape in Africa Intermedia, (2012), National Baseline Survey and Protection Needs for Journalism in Kenya, Final Frere, M.S. Elections and the Media in Post-Conflict Africa; Votes and Voices for Peace Read More