Independent Media

Importance of Media Monitoring

The media serves as a forum for the exchange of opinions, public debate, confrontation and criticism, and offers the general public a chance to gain a better understanding of opinions presented by individual candidates and political parties. The role of the media is also to provide the public with an objective portrayal of public affairs; to be a vehicle for the dissemination of information about the most important developments in a society; and to unveil shortcomings of the political system as well as an unbiased analysis of the context in which events occur. During an election, this helps voters to make well-informed decisions as to which political entity they will give their mandate to represent their interest. It is during the election that the role of the media is indispensable, especially in portraying respective participants in the election competition and in interpreting their previous activities, political programs, opinions, plans and visions for the future. By enabling political contestants to communicate their messages and in presenting information about political parties, candidates, and matters of political importance, the media plays an essential role in the integrity of the electoral process as the primary source of information about politics.

The principle of freedom of speech requires that journalists, editors, producers, and media proprietors take responsibility for the content and form of their messages as well as the consequences they entail. The media should be assured by the government of the right to gather and report objective information without intimidation and with no arbitrary or discriminatory obstructions or censorship of their coverage of the campaign. State authorities should refrain from interfering in the activities of journalists and other media personnel with a view to influencing elections. Media management and owners should accept the principles of journalistic ethics and independence and they should not exert pressure on their employees to act at variance with these principles. While all the media should offer responsible coverage, it is particularly incumbent upon state media to observe even more rigorous standards since they are publicly funded. The citizens pay fees and the public media have therefore a legal and moral obligation to serve the interest of the general public, not partisan or private interests.

Media monitoring constitutes an important part of the overall analysis of the pre-election environment conducted by a domestic election monitoring organization. Media monitoring is an effective tool to measure both how the state and political contestants treat the media and how the media treat contestants. Valid and credible media monitoring projects provide the general public with benchmarks to judge the fairness of the whole election process. Media monitoring also represents an important tool to highlight cases of undue interference in the editorial freedom of the media or attempts to undermine their independence.