The European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) yesterday, 13 June 2018, released their final report on the March 7th and 31st Presidential, Parliamentarian and Local Council elections at the Radisson Blu Hotel.
The mission was deployed in January with over 100 long term observers in all the sixteen districts. “This is the second peaceful transition from one elected leader to another,” Jean Lambert, Chief Observer, said.
One of the areas monitored was the role of the media, which they consider important in the democratic process. Seven media outlets were monitored; three radio stations; and two television stations; the SLBC, AVY (both radio and TV), Radio Democracy and two newspapers; Awoko and Awareness Times.
Awoko newspaper was slightly out of balance in the first round of campaigning devoting… “38% of its political space to NGC, 34% to APC and SLPP coverage amounted to 11%. However, “Awoko’s tone of coverage of political parties was neutral.”
During the second round of campaigning and media coverage, the report further stated, “Awoko was balanced and devoted 29% of space to APC and 28% to SLPP; covering both parties with a neutral tone.”
Awareness Times was also unbalanced giving APC 53% of space, 17% to NGC and 15% to SLPP. The media monitoring found Awareness Times tone of coverage was negative against SLPP.
The EU Observer Mission report stated the SLBC gave two hours of free airtime to each of the contesting political parties as required by law. But across SLBC editorial, “The parties were not treated fairly or equally, with the then governing party favoured.”
During the first round, “SLBC TV devoted half of its editorial coverage to the APC with SLPP and NGC covered only 17% and 12%, respectively”.
For AVY TV and radio, the report revealed, “They devoted a more equitable amount of time in its editorial coverage. In the first round it allocated 33% to APC, 22% to SLPP and 17% to NGC”.
For Radio Democracy, the EU EOM report revealed, 98.1 devoted 37% of its editorial coverage to APC, 33% to SLPP and 14% to NGC.”
As always with the EU EOM, recommendations were made. Lambert said, “Our recommendations concern all aspects and stages of the electoral process. We believe that if the recommendations are successfully implemented they can help consolidate the rule of law and improve the conduct of the next elections.”
Recommendations for the media included, “to amend the Public Order Act, Section 33, to decriminalize defamation, introduce civil offences sanctions proportionate to the act.”
The EU Observer Mission presented their report to the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs at State House, prior to the launch to the public. The President said, “As a government, we will try to take action to implement the recommendations. It will give value to the forward movement towards democracy. We’d like to see the election days as a normal day… like any other day.”
BM/13/6/18
By Betty Milton
Thursday June 14, 2018.
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