Journalists and Media Launch Code of Conduct to Combat
Corruption, Hate Speech and Pakistan’s Culture of Dirty Politics
Pakistani media leaders have launched a historic code of
conduct for journalism in an unprecedented effort to combat corruption and
political pressure in the upcoming national election campaign.
'Elections in Pakistan are threatened by corruption,' said Mazhar Abbas, Chair of the Coalition for Ethical
Journalism and Director of Current Affairs at Express TV News.
'Some
people think the upcoming election will be bought not fought, but this code
will ensure that journalism is able to function freely, safely and, above all,
ethically, during the election.'
Media organisations and journalists from across Pakistan,
and working on all media platforms are being urged to follow the code which
includes a detailed check-list on how media can deliver ethical, impartial and
honest reporting.
Only by doing so the media will serve the public interest,
promote democracy, freedom and tolerance say the Coalition for Ethical
Journalism, which unites journalists and media support groups across
the country.
”This code is an antidote to the poison
of hate speech and intolerance,' said Aidan White,
Director of the Global Ethical Journalism Network, which has been working
closely with the Pakistan Coalition.
“Journalists and media leaders are
determined to support ethical reporting and media independence. We hope all
politicians and the election authorities will support this unprecedented call
for effective self-regulation.”
Also backing the code was Fahad Hussain, leading anchor at
WAQT who told the meeting:
“This code is much needed. It is a start and
will help media stakeholders face up to the enormous problems that are
currently facing journalists at all levels. We must get buy in and support from
all media owners and editors.”
“Media is the fourth pillar of the state,” said MQM Parliamentarian, Farooq Sattar, also speaking at today’s
meeting. “Media plays an important and responsible role. Pakistan
is 65 years old, but our free media is hardly ten years old. They are learning
and maturing.
“We need a free media but freedom without responsibility is
no freedom. The stakes are very high because media lays the foundations of
democracy. In a nutshell the media can help to prevent pre and post-election
rigging, disillusionment and apathy of voters. This is why independent, honest
and impartial reporting is so important. “
The code was discussed and ratified at a series of round
table meetings of senior media leaders in Karachi and Lahore (20, 21 November)
and finally today in Islamabad (November 22).
Over 40 leaders and
influencers from print and electronic media, mainstream political parties and
civil society networks attended a round table conference held at Islamabad’s
Hillview hotel.
The Pakistan Coalition plans to ask the Election Commission
of Pakistan and the country’s major political parties to note the code and to
respect the rights of journalists and media to report fairly and without any
interference during the upcoming period.
Code of conduct for Pakistan Media and Elections and
Election Coverage Checklist for Pakistan media is given below. More information can be obtained from:
Pakistan Coalition Chairman:
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Code of Conduct
for Pakistan Media and Elections
1. The aim of
journalism on all media platforms is to provide coverage that is fair, unbiased
and ethical.
2. This is
particularly important in reporting of political affairs and the news,
commentary and information services provided for citizens and voters at times
of elections.
3.
Media and ethical journalists in Pakistan strive at all times to
a)
avoid discrimination against any political party, political
leader or candidate
b)
provide information that will assist citizens to better
understand the issues, policies and perspectives of all democratic participants
in the election process
c)
ensure all communities are made fully aware of the election
process and how they can freely exercise their right to vote
4.
Media recognise that it is not always possible to cover all
candidates in an election, but they shall strive to ensure that all candidates
representing democratic values and a credible and significant body of opinion
shall be subject to journalistic scrutiny and appropriate media coverage.
In this regard media shall apply principles of fairness in the
allocation of time and space in provision of coverage to political parties and
candidates while recognising that balance and fairness are achieved over a reasonable
period of time.
5. Media shall
encourage journalism of the highest ethical standards in their election
coverage and shall, in particular,
a)
Ban all forms of intolerance and expression that can be
interpreted as incitement to violence or hatred,
b)
Avoid all forms of rumour, speculation and disinformation,
particularly when these concern specific political parties or candidates,
c)
Forbid the publication of unsubstantiated allegations or
personal remarks or opinions that are designed to be offensive and malicious
and verify information regarding individuals or parties which is critical or
negative before it is telecast, broadcast or published,
6. Media respect the
values of tolerance and respect in Pakistan society and are committed to
excluding all forms of intemperate and abusive opinion that has the effect of
promoting public disorder or intolerance.
7.
This pledge to avoid inflammatory expression shall apply to
coverage of political activities at all levels including when it applies to the
reporting of statements or remarks by political leaders or candidates.
8. Media recognise
that the power of elections rests with the people of Pakistan and the voters.
They will exercise caution in the use of opinion polls and agree to work
together to ensure that announcement of results is managed in an equitable and
transparent manner ensuring that all media are able to report accurately the
results as they emerge from the ECP and the election control room.
9. All media shall
ensure that they and their staff are fully prepared for the task of election
coverage and agree to follow the common principles for preparation and
organisation of election coverage as set out in the attached checklist for
ethical and fair reporting.
10.
All media shall provide staff with guidance and advice on safety
and security issues and provide journalists with appropriate support including
insurance.
11.
Candidates
in Pakistan elections shall not act as news anchors, interviewers or presenters
of any type of programme during the election period.
12.
In
addition, appearances by candidates or political party representatives in
non-political programmes that were planned or scheduled before the election may
continue, but no new appearances will be arranged and broadcast during the
period.
13.
When
a candidate takes part in an item about his or her particular election, then
candidates of each of the major parties shall be offered the opportunity to
take part. However, if they refuse or are unable to participate, the item may
nevertheless go ahead.
14.
Broadcasters
must offer the opportunity to all candidates take part in a particular
electoral area reports and discussions. This also applies to independent
candidates. However, if a candidate refuses or is unable to participate, the
item may nevertheless go ahead.
15.
All
media shall give the audience regular information about appropriate websites or
other information source listing all candidates taking part in the elections.
16.
Pakistan
media agree to establish an election media monitoring group comprised of
respected, non-partisan figures to protect the press from aggression and to
investigate any incidents.
a)
The group will follow the coverage of the election and register
all incidents of threats or intimidation or other improper violation of their
right to report freely.
b)
It
shall further be committed to protect the interests of media and should work
under the umbrella of the Pakistan Broadcasting Association.
c)
This
group shall deal with all complaints and issues arising from media coverage of
the elections and shall strive to ensure professional respect for the
principles and values set out in this code.
d)
The
group shall ensure that media act together to protect each other from acts of
violence or political intimidation and that fair and transparent systems are used
for the allocation of state and political advertising related to the elections.
17. Pakistan media agree to submit this code
and its commitments to the election commission and to all political parties,
who are asked to recognise and support the self-regulating commitment of media,
and to respect journalists and their right to report freely.
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Election Coverage: A Checklist for Ethical and Fair
Reporting
Introduction
The challenge
of objectivity, impartiality and balance in media is faced daily by Pakistan journalists,
but there is no test of professionalism greater than that posed by a political
election. During an election the impulse to manipulate media and to control
information is strongest among ruling parties and political leaders running for
office.
The media in
Pakistan recognise that their first duty is to provide citizens with access to
all the facts, opinions and ideas being canvassed in the campaign. The
principles of Pakistan media in coverage of an election are set out as follows:
·
Our
role is primarily to be the link between voters, the community and the
political leadership.
·
We
are not the voice-box for politics alone; we also provide access to media to
ordinary people so that citizen's voices can be heard.
·
We
shall review and underscore our professional guidelines and rules to ensure
ethical practice in the reporting of all aspects of the election.
·
We
will remember that elections can bring out the worst in politicians (and
journalists) – extreme opinions, extravagant promises and intemperate speech.
·
Reporters
and editors shall be wary of violent rhetoric and offensive opinion,
particularly about minorities and vulnerable groups.
·
Keeping
the peace is the job of the police, but journalists should not do anything that
may incite intolerance or hatred.
The following
guidelines provide some basic advice for journalists and media in their
election coverage:
Remain independent and Keep Your Distance
Pakistan journalists
are citizens too and are entitled to their own political opinions, but they
must be non-partisan in their journalism, especially when reporting elections.
Media opinions
on politics will be kept to properly identified editorial columns and
programmes.
In the news
and current affairs reporting we must be fair to all parties and candidates.
Practicing
journalists should not take part in any election activity, standing for
election, speaking at party rallies or making financial donations.
Journalists
and media representatives never take gifts, cash or in kind. There will be a
political price to pay. If inducements are offered, check with the editor.
Journalists,
broadcasters and publishers have a responsibility towards the society as a
whole. Journalism was originally intended to be, and must continue to be, a useful
instrument in the general interest rather than mouthpieces of individual,
particular interests.
This explains why it
is vital that politicians keep their hands out of the affairs of journalists. But
it also means that journalists cannot be prevented by their advertisers or even
their proprietors from acting professionally. Media should establish internal
mechanisms to avoid undue pressure on journalists and to reinforce
professionalism and independence.
Give Voters a Voice and Confront All forms of Bias
The most
important people in an election are not the politicians - the party leaders or
candidates. It is the Pakistani people and particularly those who vote. So give
the voters a voice.
Media will provide
information on the election process. They will examine the promises of people
canvassing for votes and pose relevant questions that focus on the needs of
citizens and the community.
We will show
to voters that we are on their side and we will confront all forms of undue editorial
bias in election coverage.
Allegations of
bias in the news media are not unusual, particularly at election
time. Politicians and public interest groups may regard the omission of
certain news items or issues from newspapers and radio and television news
bulletins as deliberate bias.
More often
than not, journalists make these choices on the basis of sound professional judgment.
But mistakes are made. When deadlines are tight and pressures are greatest, the
weighing of these factors may be less thorough.
In general, journalists strive for
fairness and for decisions made solely on the basis of news value. That is
something which journalists always try to respect, and that is sometimes difficult
for many outside journalism to understand.
Of course there is political pressure. Often
it comes from the traditional supporters of particular media. This base may be
identified by social status, language or other cultural dimension. Liberal
newspapers tend to be left of centre in their editorial columns; conservative
newspapers will favour right of centre politics.
Partisan journalism can be good
journalism. Campaigning journalism in favour of human rights issues has often
nurtured the best tradition in the profession, but the political opinions of
the editorial columns should not interfere with the process of news gathering,
news selection and placement.
Allegations of deliberate, political
bias are easy to make and often difficult to refute.
The gathering,
editing and publishing of news involves decisions by people who inevitably
bring their own background, values and prejudices to bear on deciding what to
select, emphasize and colour as news.
But even if
there is personal bias, there must be balance in the representation of a range
of views. Lack of balance can lead to unfair representation of politics as well
as unacceptable stereotypes that are unfair to women, homosexuals, and socially
marginalized groups and minorities.
Media can express biased opinion. The
editorial column, which serves as the institutional voice of a newspaper on a
wide range of issues, must be biased because it expresses an opinion, even
though such opinion must always be based on confirmed facts. Columnists and
television anchors also have the right to express their opinions.
But none of this should lead to a lack
of fairness in news reporting where balanced coverage of events is expected. Reporters,
editors and proprietors must avoid actions which sacrifice even-handed
journalism for partisan self-interest.
The suppression of essential or
important facts and the deliberate distortion of other facts through wrong or
improper emphasis must be forbidden.
News readers should not give
preferential news coverage to one party or another and using deceptive "camera
angles" to disguise or enhance the size of campaign rallies is not
acceptable and using technology to enhance or diminish images of a candidate.
It is the media's job to act fairly.
Remember that many politicians are skilled at manipulating people, including
media. In the 2012 presidential elections in the United States billions of
dollars are being spent on television time often to avoid politicians having to
talk to free media.
Journalists can confront this approach
by ensuring that they provide a link between election news and the reader,
listener or viewer. News coverage should be a bridge connecting candidates and
the voters.
In the age of social networks and open
journalism the desire of the people to become more involved in the political
process is here to stay.
Journalism should not focus on the
glitz and the glamour of personality or character politics and the inevitable "horse
race" model of reporting. We need to dig deep into the substantive issues that
bring news values into line with concerns of the voters.
Getting
Organised
Journalists
covering elections need to know what they are talking about. We shall train our staff in election reporting
and the importance of political pluralism.
Reporters and
editors will ensure that they are fully briefed on all aspects of the election
from the point of view of the voter as well as the political candidates.
In particular this
includes
·
understanding the constitutional and
legal background to the holding of elections as well as the process of the
election itself,
·
knowing details about the parties, candidates
and political manifestos,
·
understanding the issues that are
important for voters,
·
using credible sources who provide
insight to make sense of it all.
There should also be
full understanding of safety and
security issues. Journalists and media staff should not take unnecessary
risks. Campaign events can be robust, even dangerous, journalists should at all
times be aware of safety concerns.
Each media
organisation agrees to follow the minimum standards set out below for the
editorial organisation of election coverage:
1: Details: To obtain from the electoral commission regarding all
the details of the coming poll: registration date, start and closing day of the
campaign period, Election Day specifics (how the polling will be organized,
timetable for election returns, etc.).
2: Rules: To study the election rules: voting
system, electoral laws, poll watching, laws governing international observation
delegations, use of public opinion surveys, political advertising regulations,
access to state media, electoral expenses limitations, etc.).
3: Guidelines: To work according to the common guidelines
and code of conduct agreed by Pakistan media.
4: Audience awareness:
To
explain to readers and viewers your reporting rules, how you are going to cover
the campaign and why and ensure that they are able to register concerns and
complaints as appropriate.
6: Roles and responsibilities To establish an editorial team for the
elections. Election coverage is the political desk's golden hour but should not
be its exclusive preserve. All departments can be asked to perform duties
according to their skills.
Specialised writers
will analyze issues on their beat (economics, health, foreign affairs,
economics, labour, education), others will compare competing political
programmes, and some will scrutinise speeches and position papers, to track
inconsistencies and expose propaganda.
7: Review procedure:
To
appoint an editorial election panel to review delicate questions that may arise
as the campaign develops. It should include the editor-in-chief, the relevant department
head, and a few distinguished commentators or reporters.
8: Backup systems To plan for emergencies: what do you do
if something breaks down on your side (your computer crashes, when one of your
reporters is arrested or wounded, etc.) and on the side of the government
(failure in the collation of results, charges of irregularities, etc.)
9. Clarity of content and contact with audience: To
promote civic education and carefully and repeatedly explain the principles and
techniques of voting and what the election will lead to (a new parliament,
separation of powers, transparency, etc.) and to introduce an open line to
readers so they might ask questions on specific points of the campaign and air
their views.
10: Plans for polls: To ensure that public opinion polls are
not elections and do not become the dominant feature of election reporting. Unprofessional
polls are bad news, for voters and for media. Some points:
·
Never
commission surveys that do not stick to the highest standards and never print
them without fully explaining the conditions and the limits of the survey.
·
Expose
any fraud in a political party or newspaper survey. Never forget that polls
will never replace old-style political reporting.
·
Avoid
using unattributed online information. The social networks are useful, but they
are a rumour-mongering paradise.
11: Fact files and Background Reporting: To begin the editorial preparation well
ahead of Election Day: prepare profiles of major candidates, close-ups on most
electoral districts (economic base, population profile, major problems, party
dominance).
12: Fair Access for Politicians: To allocate time and space for
political comment by parties and politicians on a fair and rotating basis. Stop
the process at least a week before election day so as not to give undue
advantage to one candidate or to the propaganda of one party.
13: Beware of Media manipulation: To avoid stunts and cooked-up events from
media-savvy parties and politicians that are designed just to grab headlines.
And to avoid publishing political parties' press releases without checking them.
These shall as a source for a more balanced story.
14: Attribution: To be credible
and always attribute information and clearly identify and attribute any
information coming from sources other than obtained from independent reporting.
15: Review process: To review
how our team cover the campaign and to compare our performance with other
media.
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