Whose poll is it – the politicians’, or the peoples’?

Ethical implications for the media

Southern Africa Election Reporting Seminar. Sandton, Convened by Media Institute

of Southern Africa, Johannesburg, 29 – 31 Oct 03

Guy Berger

On the agenda:

1.Players

2.Elections

3.Ethics

4.Codes

5.Policy & strategy

1.Players

2.Elections

3.Ethics

4.Codes

5.Policy & strategy

THE ACTORS:

•the media

•the public

•the politicians

POLL

Specific players:• media: broadcast-print-web, public-govt-private-

community, premier outlets, media stars public: general public, civil society groups incl

NGOs, business, global forces, individuals. politicians: the parties, the govt, the civil service.

Qtn: who dances with whom in an election?

3 models of poor practice

• Politicians Public = limited• Politicians Media = futile• Media Public = misses point

• A threesome is better than a couple!Need the triangle of politicians-media-

public – But which of the three leads the dance?

Four models of how the relationship works:

1. Politician-driven2. Media-centred3. People pushing4. Integrated model

1. Politician-driven model

MEDIA COVERAGE

POLITICIANS

PUBLIC +OPINION

i.e. politicians set the pace, media passive:

ETHICS: what “forum” access is given to different parties?

1

2

3

2. Media-centred model

POLITICIANS

MEDIA COVERAGE

PUBLIC +OPINION

i.e. Media is active agent. “Impartiality does not require editorial staff to be unquestioning” ABC

ETHICS: Watchdog on process, Balanced platform, Educator & guide

1

2

3

3. Public pushingMEDIA COVERAGE

PUBLIC + OPINION

POLITICIANS

i.e. The public is the driving force

ETHICS: Parties respond to public, not vice versa

1

2

3

4. Integrated modelMEDIA

COVERAGEPUBLIC + OPINION

POLITICIANS

i.e. dynamic interaction

ETHICS: Be sensitive to the full triangle

1

2

3

1.Players

2.Elections

3.Ethics

4.Codes

5.Policy & strategy

Take 4th estate label seriously:• Recognise role in democratic governance.• Different to other estates, but

complimentary and part of the whole.• Media also a check & balance, esp in age

of globalisation and international spotlight.

• SPECIAL ROLE: make a vibrant public sphere where matters of common significance (esp. Power) are contested in the court of public opinion.

Media & democracy

• POLITICAL SUPERMARKET MODEL:• Choose from the offerings of names,

faces and rhetoric of politicians.• May get coverage of policy

commodities on offer from the salesmen.

• Maybe even comparison of the wares.• Perhaps analysis of process of political

marketing, and how the parties promote their products.

• ROLE: help consumers make informed choice

So what is an election?

• ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP MODEL:• Active agents not those in the “beauty

contest”, but those judging it.• Focus not on consumer/spectator, but citizen

actor.• Image is of an agenda-setting public. • Poll = a time when people can hold politicians

accountable for performance to date. • Party promises for tomorrow are

contextualised against this background.• ROLE: support & mobilise civil society

So what is an election?

Whose poll: politicians or people?

• Different views on elections result in different kinds of coverage.

• Supermarket view: election news is about staged events and party campaigns;

• Citizenship view: publicise public participation and what people see as the popular issues + politician reaction.

• In short, is poll painted as being primarily about politicians - or about “the people”?

Process

Balancing the benefits of elections: • Supermarket view: short-term is important -

who wins, and how legitimately, is indeed a critical issue. It can also poison the longer-term too.

• Citizenship view: longer-term view: important to build a public culture of participatory democracy, accountability, political tolerance, and viability of peaceful conflict resolution through voting.

1.Players

2.Elections

3.Ethics

4.Codes

5.Policy & strategy

Ethics: not in a vacuum

Contexts to take cognisance of: • Media-politician-public dynamics.• Consumers vs citizens issue.• Laws, regulations, codes.• Where you work:

– Public or private or community media.– Broadcast vs print vs web.– Timing: run-up to poll, voting day.

Ethics: choices you make• On quantity and quality of coverage.

• Make decisions in four-step process:

– Conscious (be alert to the ethical issue)– Choices (explore the range of options)– Consult (check it out with colleagues)– Care (think of possible impacts)

• Make that judgement call!

Ethics: who’s biased?

IFJ: • Media gets blamed for deliberate bias.• Conspiracy accusation – omission and

commission.• We deny slanting, but it is true that:

– Political pressure exists,– Private newspapers (at least) have

leanings.– And we do select, discard, set agendas.

Ethics of beating bias

IFJ: • Keep real people’s views as your

point of reference.• Set up a review process.• Self-regulate and internal control, eg.

use a monitoring group of retired senior journalists.

• Value of Editorial Statute on ethics.

Ethics: basic principles to apply

Editorial independence is pertinent: IFJ “opposes the use of information media by

governments, state authorities or proprietors for their own political … advantage”. (Manifesto for a democratic media culture).

General & common journ ethics of relevance:• Accuracy, no personal bias, fact & comment

separate, fairness, right-to-reply, no bribery, avoid conflicts of interest, etc.

• “Newsvalues and newsjudgements will prevail in reaching decisions…” ABC Editorial Charter

Ethics: specific principles for polls

• Not only “news”, but ads and other content too,

• Pluralism obligation,• Defamation needs dealing with,• Access and openness to complaint,• What is “reasonable” access and “equitable”

treatment?• Tell your audience what your stand is,• How much control when floor given over to

parties?• Problem of incumbent bias and when

govt=party.

Ethics: specific principles for polls

• Problem of incumbent bias and when news about govt plays to advantage of the ruling party.

• Special care needed in reporting opinion polls.• Direct from source reports, not second-hand.• Encourage people to speak their minds. • Be pro-people.• Be pro-marginalised, esp women.• Beware inflammatory stuff (eg. “Fight Back, Kill

the Boer”).• Watch out for, and publicise, dirt being leaked

for political reasons.

1.Players

2.Elections

3.Ethics

4.Codes

5.Policy & strategy

Consider a code:

Make it specific and empowering: • State your values and policy• Set out practical points• Define your evaluation for compliance• Include review mechanisms and times• Consider brokering it with other

stakeholders, so that there are quid pro quo’s.

1.Players

2.Elections

3.Ethics

4.Codes

5.Policy & strategy

Policy for ethical election coverage

Ethics and values as your foundation: • Free media is a stakeholder in

elections, not a disinterested observer.• Free media has an interest in electoral

participation and a free and fair poll.• Free media can use an election to

enhance its credibility and democratic value.

Ethics policy for poll coverage

Accordingly: • Don’t play undercover politics. • Don’t pander to apathy (1/3rd SAfns unregistred)

– Play a leadership role.

• Do be careful of unintentional bias– Eg. reporting events staged by rich parties.

• Do become political experts– Be able to interrogate politicians and public, – Get beyond name-calling or mud-slinging. – Minimise “he said”, “she said” style of journalism.

From policy to strategy

Ethical coverage will face interference from:

• Governments• Politicians• Party supporters• Police and security• Owners (incl govt owners)

Strategy to implement:

How to deal with such interference: • Establish common & transparent principles.• Get them in writing & tell audiences & get

allies.• If need be, designate complaints or review

mechanisms.• Learn negotiation – managing your boss.• “Staying out of trouble & still getting the story

is an important skill” (ZESN)

Strategy checklist (ZESN inspired)

Design a list of measurables: • So that you educate your newsroom,• So that you remember the public, incl gender,• So that you can deal with closed access or

harassment,• So you use all forms of journalism (news,

cartoons, graphs, features, investigative), • So you have a panel to deal with delicate issues,• So you budget, train, plan & stockpile ethical

election coverage.

In conclusion:1.Players: triangle,

integrated

2.Elections: 4th estate, citizens

3.Ethics: choices, principles, process

4.Codes: consider & consult

5. Policy & strategy: action