Journalists must not take sides in Nampula by-election – AIM report

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Journalists must not take sides in Nampula by-election – AIM report

8:21 CAT | 18 Jan 2018

Notícias / The alleged support of Nampula journalists for Cololo violates the Code of Conduct on Electoral Coverage signed by various of the Mozambican media, as well as the Directives on Electoral Coverage drawn up in 2012 by various media in the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region.

The Mozambican branch of the regional press freedom body MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa) has warned that, in their professional capacity, journalists should not be expressing support for any candidate in the forthcoming mayoral by-election in the northern city of Nampula.

MISA-Mozambique’s concern was sparked by an article two days ago in the Maputo daily “Noticias” which claimed that the candidate of the ruling Frelimo Party, Amisse Cololo, “was throughout yesterday in contact with various professional groups in attempts to win votes in next Wednesday’s by-election. He was with doctors, business people and journalists who guaranteed that they support his candidacy”.

This might just be sloppy journalism on the part of “Noticias”. An AIM reporter who attended the same meetings made no mention of any pledge by reporters to support Cololo, and certainly individuals attending a meeting have no right to speak on behalf of all journalists who happen to be covering the by-election.

MISA points out that journalists may have personal positions on elections, but they must not allow these positions to bind their media institutions, or entire groups of journalists.

The alleged support of Nampula journalists for Cololo violates the Code of Conduct on Electoral Coverage signed by various of the Mozambican media, as well as the Directives on Electoral Coverage drawn up in 2012 by various media in the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region.

Those directives, the MISA-Mozambique statement points out, state that the role of the media during election campaigns is to help the voters make informed choices, as well as serving as a platform for debate and discussion.

Well before the SADC directives, in 2009, MISA-Mozambique and the National Union of Journalists (SNJ), at a meeting in Beira, drew up eight principles for electoral coverage – including independence, impartiality, objectivity, and giving equal treatment to the different candidates.

In the light of these principles, MISA-Mozambique says that the supposed decision of some reporters in Nampula to support the Frelimo candidate “does not represent or bind Mozambican journalists”.

The Nampula by-election, the MISA statement says, should be an opportunity for the media “to demonstrate high standards of professionalism”.

“The sympathy that any journalist may have for a particular party or candidate should not override the ethical principles which guide the noble profession of journalist”, it concludes.

Source: AIM