Reaching beyond words

Thursday, 21 July 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Elections Commissioner has decided to set up voluntary guidelines for media to follow while covering the upcoming local government elections. While the measure is a laudable one there are many doubts as to whether it will be followed, particularly by the State media. Moreover these guidelines are not enforced in a transparent and accountable manner, which would emphasise the ethical need of impartial election coverage. In fact many would consider that this is too little too late.

The very fact that voluntary guidelines are established a mere two days before the elections is cause for the effectiveness of these steps to be questioned. The biased reporting of the media in the run up to the elections is nothing new. Having existed for many years it is now an accepted part of campaigning and most media, especially the State owned ones, border on propaganda dissemination.

Entire sections of news broadcasts and front pages of newspapers are dedicated to covering the activities of the ruling party while many others have dedicated programmes for political discussions. The concerns of the Opposition parties are also showcased. However the problem of media reporting hinges on the fact that the quality of the reports are often biased; but is this the fault of the media only? Are not the content of the programmes and newspapers decided by higher powers that dictate that these reports be done in a biased manner? And if so then should not the Elections Commissioner’s guidelines cover the top officials of these organisations and the government itself?

The other point is that the government routinely ensures that immediately before elections are held many development projects are opened and the president does a tour of the region. This means that the media is duty bound to report on these activities, linked as they are to election campaigning, thereby unwittingly boosting the profile of one party over another. Currently President Mahinda Rajapaksa is on a tour of the north, visiting places that have been overlooked in two years of peace, for the sake of the upcoming elections. The intentions of the ruling party to garner votes by showcasing development projects targeted to promote the government are blatant. Are these true to the spirit of fair elections?

Impartial and balanced reporting of elections is an important issue. However this is an issue that needs to be addressed from the top down for effective implementation. Toothless guidelines will make little difference and even if individual journalists make the effort it could be undermined though the decisions taken by people of higher authority. In such a scenario there must be empowerment of the system so that journalists and their ethics are safeguarded from politicisation. Only then can free and fair elections in all its manifestations take place.

For the time being these changes do not seem to be in the offing; but that does not change the fact that they must be the ideal that must be strived for. Democracy and good governance are hallmarks of a developing country and Sri Lanka must embody these qualities to reach her aspirations.