election r eporting in the media

Election reporting in the media • Session 1: The concept, the values (what is it, what is the tradition?)

• Session 2: Story ideas and techniques (what to cover, how to cover)

• Session 3: Your story process (what will you write about, why and how?)

The concept, the values • The watchdog role of journalism (Fourth Estate)

• Media, democracy and voter education (public interest)

• Horse race vs. issue reporting, candidates’ rhetoric vs voter’s voice

Code of conduct • Freedom– free, uncensored flow of information• Independence and honesty• Obligation to report- democratic morality • Factual, impartial, objective• Accuracy and verification • Balance, neutrality and honesty

News coverageContext• The last CA elections and news coverage • Uncertainties, skepticism • Post-conflict, transition to a new system

Depends on- Individual journalist’s efforts- Newsroom budget meetings/news agenda- Campaign environment

Election Code of Conduct (imposed by EC)नि�र्वा��च�को अर्वाधि�म� आम सञ्च�र म�ध्यमले देह�यक� आचरण प�ल�� ग�� प��छ :1. सूचना वा समाचार समे्प्रषण गर्दाा� तथ्यमा आधारिरत भई, पक्षपात नगरी र वस्तुनिनष्ठ

ढंगले समे्प्रषण गनु� पन%छ ।2. सूचना वा समाचार समे्प्रषण वा प्रसारण गर्दाा� कसैप्रनित पूवा�ग्रह नराखी र कसैलाई

पक्षपात नगरी समे्प्रषण गनु� पन%छ ।3. सूचना वा समाचारकोसंकलन तथा समे्प्रषण रोक्न, र्दाबाउन वा लुकाउन हुँरै्दान ।4. सूचना वा समाचार सव�साधारणलाई भ्रममा पान% गरी समे्प्रषण गन�, प्रकाशन वा

प्रसारण गन� हँुरै्दान ।5. निनवा�चनसँग सम्बन्धि=त शिशक्षामूलक समाचार र सूचना समे्प्रषणलाई उच्च

प्राथमिमकता दिर्दानुपन%छ । सूचना र समाचार संकलन र समे्प्रषण गन� कसैले वाधा अवरोध पुर्‍याएमा सो कुरा समेत सूचना तथा समाचारमा समावेश गनु� पन%छ ।

Election Code of Conduct (from EC), contd.6. कसैबाट कुनै निकशिसमको अनुशिचत लाभ ग्रहण गन� वा पेशागत आचरण एवं

मान्यता निवपरीत हुने कुनै काम कारबाही गनु� हुँरै्दान ।7. सूचना र समाचार समे्प्रषण गर्दाा�, प्रकाशन गर्दाा� वा प्रसारण गर्दाा� कसैप्रनित कुनै

निकशिसमले भेर्दाभाव र्दाशा�उने वा हिहंसालाई उक्साउने खालको भाषाको प्रयोग गन� र निवभिभन्न जातजानित, धम�, शिलङ्ग, भाषा र सम्प्रर्दााय वीचको सम्ब= र सद्‍भावमा कुनैपनिन निकशिसमबाट खलल पन% गरी समे्प्रषण गन�, प्रकाशन गन� र प्रसारण गन� हुँरै्दान ।

8. निनवा�चनमा निवभिभन्न जात जानित, धम�, शिलङ्ग, भाषा र सम्प्रर्दाायको सहभानिगता अभिभबृद्धिS हुनेगरी सूचना र समाचार समे्प्रषण गनु� पन%छ ।

9. कुनै गलत वा भ्रामक सूचना वा समाचार, समे्प्रषण, प्रकाशन वा प्रसारण हुन गएमा सम्बS सञ्चार माध्यम तथा सञ्ंचारकमYलेत्यस्तोसूचना वा समाचार तुरुन्त सच्याउनु पन%छ ।

Election Code of Conduct (from EC), contd.सरक�री स्र्वा�मिमत्र्वाक� सञ्च�र म�ध्यमको आचरणः10.कुनैपनिन राजनीनितक र्दाल वा उम्मेर्दावारको पक्ष वा निवपक्षमा सम्पार्दाकीय लेख्न र

प्रसारण गन� हँुरै्दान ।

11.राजनीनितक र्दाल वा उम्मेर्दावारलाई मतर्दााता माझ आफ्नोनिवचार, नीनित तथा काय�क्रम अभिभव्यक्त गन� मनाशिसब अवसर दिर्दानु पन%छ ।

12.निनवा�चन तथा मतर्दााता शिशक्षासम्व=ी सामग्री प्रकाशन तथा प्रसारण गन� प्राथमिमकता दिर्दानु पन%छ ।

Election Code of Conduct (from EC), contd.नि�ःश�ल्क प्रस�रण स�निर्वा��13. समानुपानितक निनवा�चन प्रणाली अन्तग�तको निनवा�चनमा र्दालले खडा गरेको कुल उम्मेर्दावारको अनुपातमा रेनिडयो र टेशिलभिभजन

प्रसारणसेवामा निनःशुल्क समय उपलव्ध गराउनेछ । 14. समय उपलव्ध तीन चरणमा

क) पनिहलो चरणमा राजनीनितक र्दालको घोषणापत्र साव�जनिनक गन�को लानिग पाँचरे्दाखिख बीस मिमनेटसम्म रेनिडयो प्रसारण सेवामाख) र्दाोस्रो चरणमा निनवा�चन प्रसारको लानिग दुईरे्दाखिख पाँच मिमनेटसम्म टेशिलभिभजन प्रसारण सेवामा, ग) तेस्रो चरणमा प्रत्येक राजनीनितक र्दाललाई अभिभमतको लानिग अन्तिन्तमरुपमा आव्हान गन� र्दाफा ९३ बमोद्धिजमको मौन अवमिध शुरु हुनुअमिघ एक एक मिमनेट टेशिलभिभजन प्रसारण सेवामा ।

15. र्दाफा ९१ मा उल्लिल्लखिखत चरणमा प्रसारण गरिरने सामग्री सम्वन्धि=त र्दालले तयार गरी सम्वन्धि=त प्रसारण सेवालाई दिर्दानु पन%छ ।16. मौ� अर्वाधि�म� प्रच�र–प्रस�र ग�� हु�ेः आम सञ्चार माध्यमले मौन अवमिधमा कुनै राजनीनितक र्दाल वा

उम्मेर्दावारकोनिनवा�चनको प्रचार–प्रसार हुने गरी सूचना वा समाचार सम्प्रेषण, प्रकाशन र प्रसारण गनु� हुँरै्दान । तर आयोगले प्रवाह गरेको सूचना तथा समाचार सम्प्रेषण, प्रकाशन वा प्रसारण गन� यस र्दाफाले वाधा पुर्‍याएको मानिनने छैन,स्पष्टीकरणः यस र्दाफाको प्रयोजनको लानिग “मौन अवमिध” भन्नालेमतर्दाान हुनेदिर्दानको अमिघल्लो अठचालीस घण्टा रे्दाखिख

मतर्दाानको दिर्दान अन्तिन्तम मतर्दाान केन्द्र बन्र्दा नहुन्जेलको समय सम्झनु पछ� ।17. अभिभलेख राख्नु पन%ः आम सञ्चार माध्यमलेनिनवा�चनको सम्ब=मा प्रकाशन वा प्रसारण गरेका प्रत्येक सूचना र समाचार

त्यसरी प्रकाशन वा प्रसारण भएको मिमनितले पैंतीस दिर्दानसम्म सुरभिक्षत राख् नु पन%छ ।18. सूचना तथा समाचार समे्प्रषणको अनुगमन गन%ः (१) आयोगले आम सञ्चार माध्यमहरुबाट सम्प्रेषण, प्रकाशन र प्रसारण

भएका निनवा�चन प्रचार–प्रसारसम्व=ी सूचना र समाचारको निनयमिमत अनुगमन गन%छ ।(२) उपर्दाफा (१) बमोद्धिजम अनुगमन गर्दाा� कुनै समाचारको समे्प्रषण, प्रकाशन वा प्रसारणबाट आचार संनिहताको उल्लङ्घन भएको रे्दाखिखएमा त्यस्तो सूचना वा समाचार सच्याउन आयोगले सम्वन्धि=त सञ्चार माध्यमलाई निनर्दा%शन दिर्दानेछ ।

(३). उपर्दाफा (२) बमोद्धिजमको निनर्दा%शन प्राप्त भएपशिछ सम्वन्धि=त सञ्चार माध्यमले त्यस्तो सूचना सच्याउनु पन%छ ।

“Free & Fair”Elections are “free” if before polling day there is

• Freedom of movement, • Freedom of speech (for candidates, voters and others), • Freedom of assembly, • Freedom of association• Freedom from fear in connection with the election and electoral

campaign, • Absence of impediments to standing for election (for both political parties and independent candidates)

• Equal and universal suffrage. • If on polling day there is opportunity to participate in the election. • If there are legal possibilities of complaint after the polling day. (Elklit and Svensson, 2001, p.204)

“Free and Fair”• Elections are “fair” if before polling day there is

• a transparent electoral process, • an election act and an electoral system that grant no special privilege to

any political parties or social group, • absence of impediments to inclusion in the electoral register, • establishment of an independent and impartial election commission,• impartial treatment of candidates by police, the army, and the courts of

law;• equal opportunities for political parties and independent candidates to

stand for elections, • Impartial voter education programs, • an orderly election campaign (observance of a code of conduct), • equal access to publicly controlled media, • impartial allotment of public funds to political parties (if applicable), • no misuse of government facilities for campaign purposes. (Elklit and

Svensson, 2001, p.204)

“Free & Fair”

• Elections are “fair” if on polling day there is • access to all polling stations for representatives of the political parties, accredited local and

international observers, and the media; • secrecy of the ballot, • absence of intimidation of voters, • effective design of ballot papers, • proper ballot papers, • impartial assistance to voters (if necessary), • proper counting procedures, • proper treatment of void ballot papers, • proper precautionary measures when transporting election materials, • impartial protection of polling stations. (Elklit and Svensson, 2001)

• Elections are “fair” if after polling day, there is • official and expeditious announcement of election results, • impartial treatment of any election complaints, • impartial reports on the elections results by the media, • acceptance of the election results by everyone involved. (Elklit and Svensson, 2001, p.204)

Citation: Elklit, Jergen & Svensson, Palle. “What makes elections free and fair?” Journal of Democracy 8 (July 1997): 32–46.

Covering CA Elections 2008

Media Monitoring 2008

Media All MediaIndividual MediaAll ProgramsIndividual Programs

Coverage Total TimeDirect SpeechTone (positive/negative)

Relevant Actors PartiesCandidates Election Commission & its CommissionersOthers

You are being monitored again!! Election coverage is of interest to many

Key features of coverage in 2008• Monitoring had deterrent effects on media outlets • Overall, restrained coverage• It was generally helpful to the election process• Of the 74 political parties, most coverage went to only four parties• Of the 9,923 candidates running for election, fewer than a dozen got most

of the media space• Bias was the main issue in news/views coverage• Voter’s education was covered fairly well • Media Impact? Avenues TV newsclip showing several underage (teen)

voters casting ballots at a Birgunj polling center. Yet the polls at that center were not invalidated.

Electronic Broadcast Media

News Program

41:08:21

51:10:52

52:36:45

73:26:17

CPN-Maoist

CPN-UML

others

NC

Polit

ical

Par

ties

Time Coverage in Hrs

Voter Education Program

7:26:09

8:43:07

8:53:11

11:50:49

0:00:00 2:24:00 4:48:00 7:12:00 9:36:00 12:00:00 14:24:00

CPN-Maoist

CPN-UML

OTHERS

NC

Polit

ical

Par

ties

Time Coverage in Hrs

Views Program

12:21:09

13:49:53

14:54:43

17:27:34

OTHERS

CPN-UML

NC

CPN-MaoistPo

litia

l Par

ties

Time overage in Hrs

Print Media

News Program

59474

80022

86833

104423

0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000

CPN-Maoist

CPN-UML

OTHERS

NC

Polit

ical

Par

ties

Space Coverage in sq cm

Voter Education Program

673

1695

3716

6457

12472

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000

CPN-Maosit

EC

CPN-UML

NC

OTHERS

Polit

ical

Par

ties

Space Coverage in sq cm

Top ten candidates – Broadcast mediaTop Ten Candidates

20:57:5118:59:38

4:40:36 4:22:28 4:00:54

24:17:56

4:20:324:39:055:58:026:05:25

0:00:00

4:48:00

9:36:00

14:24:00

19:12:00

24:00:00

28:48:00

P K D

ahal

G P K

oirala

M K N

epal

B Bha

ttarai

K P S

itaula

K Thapa

N M B

ijukc

hhe

R C P

aude

l

P S M

ahat

S B D

euba

Candidates

Tota

l Tim

e C

ovee

rage

in H

rs

Top ten candidates – Print media

Top Ten Candidates

33387

22374

15954

11427

68315327 5261

4176 32252195

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

P K D

ahal

G P K

oirala

M K N

epal

B Bha

ttarai

S B D

euba

K P S

itaula

R C P

aude

l

K Thapa

N M B

ijukc

hhe

P S M

ahat

Candidates

Spac

e C

over

age

in s

q cm

Directives by EC – About two dozens-- Most concerned bias and partiality • NTV: Jana Aawaj program aired appeals seeking votes for Maoists• Radio Nepal: EC asked for clarification from Paribesh and Ghatana Ra Bichar.

Ordered suspension Ghatana Ra Bichar until end of elections• Radio Today, Janakpur (code violation in "Garmagaram Chaa" program) • Government media: Asked to clarify on one-sided news and views favoring a

particular party.• Radio Ganatantra: Dang-based station asked to submit a clarification in 24

hours as for news favoring CPN (Maoist) and exclusion of the news of other parties.

• Bypass: Birgunj-based newspaper - discrimination between Madhesis and Pahades.

• Hamro Aafnai Patrika: Birgunj-based newspaper, door to door campaign of a single party, NC.

Contd. EC directives• Rupandehi F.M: favorable election coverage to UML and NC. • Butwal F.M.: favorable coverage to NC alone. • Jana Aawaj: Sunsari-based weekly cast doubts on elections by publishing materials which said

voters were not ready to "risk life for voting".• Radio Bheri Aawaj: news report on the "threat to life" issued by YCL to UML candidate Gaura

Prasai.• Kantipur TV: contents of its show "Bholiko Nepal", promo projected Pushpa Kamal Dahal of CPN

(Maoist) as Tomorrow's Nepal. • Aabhusan Dainik: Morang-based daily, called for election boycott.• Jana Bidroha Dainik: favoring the Maoists alone.• Bhaktapur FM: favoring Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) alone.• Morning Bell Daily and Dhangadhi Post: EC asked in a letter if the newspapers, both from

Dhangadhi, were favoring UML alone.

Issues in coverage• Bias is the main issue--- How to avoid bias in coverage?

• Proper attributions/quotes• Avoid qualifiers/adjectives (focus on facts)• Report issues rather than focusing on events/incidents

• How to write quality articles or produce good programs to benefit all audiences?

• Plan ahead, select proper story ideas• Follow techniques/formats/processes MORE ON THIS IN THE NEXT SESSION!

Election reporting in the media • Session 1: The concept, the values (what is it, what is the tradition?)

•Session 2: Story ideas and techniques (what to cover, how to cover)


Story Ideas and Techniques• Story conception

• Idea generation• Selecting story ideas

• Issues/agenda

• Story types and techniques

• Planning the story

• Story Guidelines

Story conception

• Generate story ideas from group small-group discussions (3-5 people). Methods can vary, depending on the context.

Idea generation • Jotting down random thoughts—let participants know beforehand that they should jot

down penitential story ideas for their final assignment • Asking the 5W & H questions—which among these questions merits a story• Clustering/mind-mapping— picturing the ideas inside participants heads (use white board,

flip chart, etc. to illustrate them) • Brainstorming or listing on white board or flip chart (this may be the most practical &

effective in most cases)

Story conceptionSelecting story ideas • Once all the ideas are listed, consider the “news values”. • Ask group members to vote on a story’s value (scale: 1=highest score, 10=lowest score)

Issues/Agenda• Campaign coverage; newsroom policy

• The political parties and candidates• The issues• The voting process• The voters

• Issues in your constituency– • security arrangements/situation; • candidate background, • voting process/polling facilities, • political intimidations, • abuse of power, • external interference, • forced donations, etc. • Voting fraud, rigged elections• Etc.

Story approach/typesApproach• Information (News), opinion (views), education, advertisements Story types• News (5Wis and H)• Editorials/commentaries • Feature stories (issue, problem, trend, profile)• Interviews, etc.• Candidate debates, roundtables of candidates and panels of experts, or interactive

programs

Forms• Audio• Video• Online

Techniques• Choose between program types/formats/layouts• Deal with media manipulation by candidates • Tell voters’ stories (voters’ voice, inclusion, their stories)• Use campaign reporting techniques • Election speeches reporting techniques• Techniques for interviewing candidates/politicians, other stakeholders• Techniques for interviewing voter issues/voices

Planning the Story • PLANNING FORM• Name ____________________________________Story topic

________________________________________________________• I. Why: Answer each question as briefly as possible (in one or two

sentences).• A. Why are you writing this story?

_______________________________________________• B. What overall impact do you think this story will have?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• II. Targeted readers • A. Reader Matrix: Identify potential readers (a good story has

materials for more than one type of reader; combine as many as possible)

Contd. Planning

B. Story Outline: Type, angle and components: Respond to the following. 1. What type of story are you writing (news, feature, interview, etc?) _________________________2. How long will be the story (in words)? _____________________________________3. How will you organize it?a) Opening____________________________________________________________________b) Body__________________________________________________________________________c) Ending ______________________________________________________________________III. Sources Your human sources (include voters, candidates, experts, officials, etc.): a) __________________ b) ___________________ c) _________________ Others_______________________________

Document sources (local officers, press releases, online materials, etc.). ____________________________________________________________________________

Personal observations (describe objectively what you see, e.g. Field visits, press conferences, etc.) ______________________________________________ IV. Potential challenges Describe potential challenges in reporting, writing and finally editing the story, and your ideas to address them. • ____________________________________________________________________________

Story Guidelines= Outline, format, organize• The following is an example. This framework will also be useful to review/edit/evaluate the

draft of the stories.

Story GuidelinesStory slug – • Name of participant, email ID, story topic, time of submission, etc. Story outline – • Headline should come 4 spaces below the story slug • Headline should accurately reflect the essence of the story and it should be succinct,

meaningful and enticing)• Intro/lead-- set the tone with it (scene, quote, anecdote, fact/statistics, idiom, etc.)• Nut graph- the 5Ws +H plus the "so what" (impact statement) to expand the Intro/lead • Main body - Give facts, quotes, statistics, and other supporting information/evidences to

explain the "so what?"• Ending- restate the main point (tie back, punchline, quote, idiom, etc.)

Story Guidelines; contd. Gathering information • Where can the reporter/writer get the information from? (human sources,

documents- print and online, observation)• How many sources to use? Attributions and verification• Attribute sources for important assertions or facts.• Use a variety of quotes, including partial/phrasal quotes and paraphrases• For every human source you quote, give the full name of that source with

accurate spelling, age and designation.• Explain clearly what constitutes plagiarism, distortion of quotes, etc.

Story Guidelines; contd. Document format • Document: MS Word, font (Preeti, Kantipur, etc), font size? • Spacing: single or double?• Indents: Needed or not needed? • Margins (1 inch)• Page numbers (bottom-middle, including first page?)• Sentence length (maximum is 25 words)• Paragraph length (no more than 1 to 3 short sentences)• Length (minimum word length for the story is 900. Do not exceed 1200 words)• Mode of submission: Email/shared Google doc., etc.

Schedule/deadline • Separately specify deadlines for story idea, outline, draft, revision, and final version. • How to submit the final story?

Session 3: Your story process (what will you write about, why and how?)

FEATURE STORIESIssuesProblemsTrends Profiles

Story Format

Focus• Begin with a focus on ONE relevant (affected) individual, group or institution for a

hook • Know what type of story you are writing (issue/problem)• Look beyond the obvious: who is affected, how and why? What is the issue?

What is the trend? What is the root problem? What is the problem of the problem of the problem?

Story Format (2)A Clear “set-up”? • What opening technique does it use? (Scene, dialogue, or anecdote?)• How explicit is the transition to the theme paragraph or the nut graph?• Does the theme paragraph relate to the larger problem? • Does the set-up foreshadow what is to come?• Does the set-up explain the “so what”? (Why should readers care?)• Does the set-up refer to the “to be sure?” (Another side to the story immediately)

Story Format (3)The Body

• Does the body have enough good examples to support your main points?

• Does it have enough scenes, dialogues, foreshadowing and anecdotes? (Use at least one of these techniques in the body)

• Does it use chronology, sequence of events? (Do not use too much of this)

• Does it alternate between inverted pyramid and chronology? (Better to use this technique, it is more flexible)

• Does it explain the “whys” and “hows?” • Does it explain the scope and dimensions of the topic?

Story Format (4)The Ending • Does the end reinforce beginning?• Does it wrap up the main story line, not the last section? • Does it tie back to the set-up? (Go back to the focus lead or set-up)• What device does the ending use? (Quotes, Scenes, Anecdotes,

Dialogues, Teaser)

Narrative Techniques 1. Scene-recreation• Use all your senses• Describe smell, sounds, sights, touch and taste• Provide rich and meaningful details

Narrative Techniques2. Dialogue • Characters take center stage• Readers and viewers transported to the scene• The journalist only facilitates in the dialogue• Quotes come with body language, scenes

Narrative Techniques3. Foreshadowing • Story promises more good stuff• Creates suspense, hooks the reader to the story

Narrative Techniques4. Anecdotes • Stories within a story, lifeblood of narrative structure • They inform, entertain and leave a mark on readers• Sources become eyes and ears of the reporter• Ask sources for examples (superlative questions)

STORY PARTS

•

• Headline • Byline • Dateline • Lead • Tagline (Summary Blurb)• Creditline • Caption • Kicker• Transition

Catchword SubheadFocus/Nut Graph Box Item/Fact Box Empowerment box (for further info)Sidebar (Story within a story, a shorter one)Pull quote Info-graphic/ Diagram

Attribution• ATTRIBUTION & QUOTES• • News is usually what others tell you, hence the importance of attributions and quotes• Attribution is sourcing (where did you get the info?)• Quote unique, crisp, succinct, meaningful material. • The quoted material is surprising, unusual, important, clever, colloquial, opinionated,

controversial etc. • Take extreme care when quoting children, mentally disabled people, crime victims etc.• Never fabricate or make up quotes. • Do not use offensive language (paraphrase if necessary) • Quote or use only on-the-record material but not off-the-record information. • “Background” (information that can be used with general attribution, without proper name

and title, such as “a government official"). • Material labeled as “deep background” cannot be attributed at all

• • ATTRIBUTIVE VERBS• • Neutral• Preferred in Hard News • Use neutral words all the time. The most common form is: • Said (To avoid monotony, use “added,” “continued,” “went on to say,”

“explained,” “elaborated,” etc.)• No descriptive verbs such as laughed, joked, whined, quipped, etc.

• Value-laden • Use the following only when you

are absolutely sure about the context

• Agreed• Alleged • Announced • Charged • Cited • Claimed • Conceded • Confirmed • Contented • Declared

DeclinedDenied Disclosed Highlighted Insisted Maintained Noted Pointed out Reminded Ruled StatedWarned, etc.

• What is wrong with “Said”?(From North Carolina Press Association Bulletin)

• “You can’t expect me to ride the hose without a saddle,” he bridled. • “This is our 12th child,” she proliferated. • “Marriage is great,” he espoused. • “I don’t know why I always get stuck with committees,” she volunteered. • “I like my new glasses,” he speculated. • “Get out of my cab!” he hacked. • “That’s is damn big bird,” she ostracized. • “Watch out he is going to jump!” he alleged. • “My shorts are too tight,” he jockeyed. • “This building has to be kept clean,” she maintained. • “Sounds like an F-flat,” he noted. •