Report on the Proceedings: Media and Elections The IMPACS 2001 Roundtable

In August 2001, the Canada-based Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society (IMPACS) invited 20 experts in the fields of democratic development, election operations, and journalism to consider what can be done to enhance the media's role in elections. The diversity of perspectives and experiences from Singapore, Sweden, India, the United States, South Africa and Canada, among others, contributed to a detailed discussion of media monitoring, election transparency, codes of ethics for journalists reporting on elections, and a sharing of lessons learned from previous missions.

The report on the proceedings of the Vancouver Roundtable on Media and Elections provides analysis of the interplay of media and elections, and it presents proposals for initiatives to contribute to this unique field by anyone interested and Canadians in particular.

Case studies included in the report indicate that media codes of conduct for journalists reporting on elections should include compliance mechanisms, rather than purely voluntary adherence, wherever possible. Further, the report provides analyses of the relationship between election management bodies (EMB) and the media, which emphasise the need for transparency by EMBs and well-informed, responsible reporting by the media. It recognises that media training and monitoring conducted on a short-term basis with little consideration of sustainability and local engagement ultimately risks reversing progress towards democratisation.

The report notes that skills upgrading of journalists must be accompanied by initiatives to develop a media-supportive infrastructure within and beyond the scope of EMBs. The report also notes that media monitoring during election periods is very valuable because it has the potential to become a positive influence on media and campaign conduct.