IPC Urges Government, INEC, Political parties and CSOs to provide enabling environment for The media during elections coverage
Oru Leonard/ Bilkisu Adejoh
An independent organization interested in promoting hate-speech-free journalism, good governance, freedom and safety of the press, International Press Centre, held a Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Media Monitoring Report On Election Coverage of 2023, on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at Abuja.
In his address, the Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Dr Lanre Arogundade, stated that the roundtable was in furtherance of the objectives of Component 4: Support to Media of EU-SDGNII Project (being implemented by the IPC and the Institute for Media and Society [IMS] to enhance the role of the Nigerian media in promoting democratic governance through Fair, Accurate, Ethical and Inclusive Coverage of Electoral Processes and Elections in Nigeria.
He noted that the scope of activities under the project; which include improving the capability of journalists to give issue focused, factually accurate and conflict-sensitive reporting of elections and the use of media engagements on countering disinformation and misinformation; are designed to ensure that journalists and their news media apply ethics, professionalism and inclusivity in their work.
In presenting the Nigerian Media Code Of Election Coverage (Revised Edition 2022), he disclosed that some of the provisions were amended and/or improved; with the Code now emphasizing the avoidance of disinformation and misinformation, to ensure the credibility of electoral information.
Furthermore, the statement of broad principles, obligating the government, INEC, political parties and the Civil Society groups to help provide an enabling environment for the media to perform its functions during elections, has been strengthened. In addition, law enforcement and security agencies are specifically obliged to ensure the protection of journalists covering elections.
Dr Lanre further noted that monitoring helps to measure the amount of professionalism, ethical compliance and access to parties and candidates, especially in the context of the guidelines relating to media role at elections; which include the Electoral Law, statutory regulations such as the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and self-regulatory like the Media Code of Election Coverage.
“In view of the importance of the exercise, IPC has over the election cycles always monitored media coverage and reportage of elections. Over a two-year period under EU-SDGNI, from May 2018 to April 2020, it monitored media coverage of the 2019 elections by twelve print and online newspapers. These were: The Punch, The Guardian, Daily Sun, Vanguard, ThisDay, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, Leadership, Daily Trust, Blueprint (online), The Cable (online) and Premium Times (online).”
Dr. Lanre also stated that result of the 2019 monitoring exercise facilitated the design and the approach of the current monitoring exercise for the upcoming 2023 elections.
Further to this, the number of the print and online newspapers was increased to fifteen from twelve, consisting of 10 print newspapers: The Punch, The Guardian, Daily Sun, Vanguard, ThisDay, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, Leadership, Daily Trust, and Daily Independent; and 4 online newspapers: The Cable, the Premium Times, Eagle Online, RealNews and Authority). However, based on feedback from the field, there are plans from February 2023 the number to 20 (10 print and 10 online), to ensure larger media samples across the country. The five online newspapers planned to be added are: Wikki Times, Qualitative Magazine, Next Edition, PenPushing and IKENGA.
In addition, a reward system has been launched under the current exercise. Thus, every quarter, news media that excel in the coverage of the issues of women, youths and persons with disability (in terms of the volume of reports and the prominence given to the reports), shall be recognized and presented with awards. The winners for the first quarter (October to December, 2022) will be announced soon.
Also speaking, Prof Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, presented review of the media monitoring report on coverage of 2023 electoral process stating that the report was part of an eighteen-month media monitoring activity involving the examination of the trends in print/online media coverage of the 2023 electoral/democratic governance process including the reportage of post-election issues, campaigns by candidates/political parties; issues of the elections/voting; and post-election/democratic accountability issues.
Ten print newspapers (Punch, The Guardian, Daily Sun, Vanguard, ThisDay, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, Leadership, Daily Trust, and Daily Independent) and four online newspapers (The Cable, the Premium Times, Eagle Online, and RealNews) were sampled and monitored. Also monitored were the News Portal (website) and the twitter handle of Nigeria’s election management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
