NORTH SOUTH SOUTH
COURSE ON POLITICAL
COMMUNICATION 1522ND JUNE 2010
COVERING ELECTIONS
LIC.ERNEST K. MRUTU
COVERING ELECTIONS
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Political reporting, in its many forms, often
has been compared to sports writing, and
with justifiable reason.
Whenever victory is won, the winning
campaign manager or coach is regarded as a
genius while the losing coach or manager is
regarded as incompetent. Okigbo, C.
(1994:119)
•News of politics and
government is of interest both to
a general as well as to a
specialized readership of
newspapers, and to a listener ship
and viewer ship of radio and
television.
•The story of politics and
government especially in the
developing countries of Africa
presents the news media with one
of their greatest challenges.
•The process of such
determination, them is the
essential process. The political
reporter must be familiar with the
key events and institutions of the
political process-the party
caucus,
the conventions the primaries where
applicable, campaigns and elections,
and also the electorate on whom the
entire process is based by the mass
media depends upon the ability of
the political reporter to comprehend,
articulate and interpret all of these
components.
The functions and
responsibilities of the
political reporter
It is the responsibility of the political
reporter to help the public, especially the
voter, look closely, indeed,
to catch a glimpse of political reality.
A curious investigator would like to
know what this responsibility is, and
the functions that the political writer
must fulfill if the public’s or voter’s
picture of reality is not to become
hopelessly skewed,
blurred, or incomplete. Okigbo,
C. (1994:121) points out that,
George S Hage and others have
identified the function of the
political writer as:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Reporting and interpreting events
Defining issues
Portraying personalities
Investigation support
Identifying trends, and
Checking and analyzing public opinion.
Handling political
reporter
•A
well trained and articulate political
reporter is expected essentially to have a
firm background in the political process of
his country as well as good deal of
preparation and priming.
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The political writer should recognize the
pragmatism of party organization at all levels by
their purpose, which include recruiting, fund
raising, and patronage.
It is also the responsibility of the political reporter
to recognize the influence of such non-party
organization as lab our unions, chambers of
commerce, student groups and other pressure
groups.
Covering political campaigns
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An authority on reporting, according to
(ibid: 131), Cannon Lou, has suggested
that the following should form the
framework of the reporters duties.
He should describe the differences among
or between the candidates irrespective of
their actual utterances.
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He should project the candidates by giving
the ample press coverage both by the
frequency and depth of the reporters.
The political campaign reporter should,
above all go beyond campaign rhetoric.
The readers, listeners and viewers need to
know, and should be told, the real meaning
of the candidate’ utterance and actions.
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The campaign reporter should do some
interpretative writing which is based on
critical research and thorough analysis of
issues and trends because these
predictions are helpful to the electorate
and to the politicians themselves.
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The specialized political campaign
reporter should write about the whole is
important in determining the options in a
situation of non-issue-oriented campaign.
The Guardian on Sunday, June
2010
Free, democratic elections
needed in October, declares
Kikwete.
By Polycarp Machira and
Felister Peter, Dodoma.
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President Jakaya Kikwete has urged
Regional and District Commissioners to
make sure that the forthcoming general
elections in October are a success otherwise
the entire government would share the
blame.
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Kikwete reminded the regional
administrators that the government had
implemented all the promises CCM made in
its 2005 election manifesto that sought the
improvement of health sector expansion and
improvement of education.
COVERING ELECTIONS
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Stockpile photographs
Run criminal background checks on all candidates
“Fact-check” boxes
Q&As
Voter panels to shape coverage
“Campaign Capsules”
Campaign Calendar
Grids and bio boxes
Invite a reporter to the editorial
board appearances.
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Use the editorial board as a candidates’
forum, instead of interviewing each
candidate separately. Works great to see and
hear them side-by-side.
Format news conference coverage as grid or
capsules; run a weekly roundup of the two
or three headline from each one. Skip the –
blah-blah-blah actual coverage.
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Put campaign letters to the editor online
instead of in print-run a sampling in print
and push reader to Web site.
Identify the critical issues (one editor calls it
the Five Forces) and use them to guide all
coverage and shape all questioning.
Interactive map online that shows users
where to vote, who’s running and where.
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Convergence projects with other
newspapers/magazines, online and broadcastforums, interviews, commentary, reporting,
analysis, columns, enterprises, photographic
Endorsements by the editorial board. Also
consider a forum in online editorial for
endorsements by users/readers and others of
particular candidates.
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Ask the offbeat question: “For whom would
you vote outside your own party and why?”
“Daily Debate” brief position statements
from primary contenders each day on a
single issue.
Chart the results and ditch most “day after”
stories. Do strong narratives/enterprise
stories only on the high profile races.
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Mandate story lengths and stick them. Prewrite election nights stories and edit them a
plan visuals- leaving only the tops for results
and color. Do some with page layouts
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Put one person in charge on election night.
Other guides for journalists in
covering elections as given by Colin
James 2005 are;
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The phone war/candidate selections/Midterm
Maneuvering/ the campaign proper/ Official
Campaign openings/ Policy coverage/ The
party
Manifesto/ The race (electorates/ party vote/
The local campaign/ the leaders’ campaigns /
Turnout/ By-elections/ Referendums/factors in
the news/
Polls
Sorts of polls/ a checklist for polls’
validity/ Predictions.
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Election night and beyond
The election night count/The official count/
How seats are allocated/ Disputed elections
and recounts/ Court challenges.
Elections and Grassroots Democracy
in Tanzania
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According to Chaligha Amon E. (2008:1)
points out that, multiparty elections at all
levels of government are a basic condition
for the promotion of democracy in any
county. In a democracy, the mandate to
govern has to be secured through regular
comparative free and fair elections.
Democracy in everyday concepts in
political system is the foundation of
political communication
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According to Colin James (2005) of New
Zealand says that, as a society we need to
make decisions about things that affected us
all.
Among the Foundations of democratic
society are the concepts of Democratic rule,
legitimate government, and Universal civil
and political rights as applied as civil and
political rights in
Popular control & political equality
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Individual voters are the core representative
democracy because, together, they choose
those who will make decision for all.
Free and fair elections
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Why should I accept the result of an election
when my preferred party does not win?
When an election result is accepted, the
parliament and government formed from it
have legitimacy.
Political choice
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Individuals hold range of views on most
issues, including those relating to the role of
the state and laws about individual behavior.
Representative democracy
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We elect representative who deliberate in
assemblies and then make decision on our
behalf. Representation seems an easy
concept- we elect representatives to act in
our place with effective popular control at
elections.
The 2000 General elections as
covered by Tanzanian Media
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“Most members have spoken openly,
newspapers also investigated, reported, carried
editorial comments and gave picture of
corruption by some members who won”,
President Mkapa, Dodoma, Majira12th August
2000. Mrutu, E. (2003:89-96)
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“Mkapa admits that preferential polls were
marred by corruption” (Mkapa akiri kura za
maoni zilitawala na rushwa) Taifa letu Tanzania,
August 13-19,2000)
“CCM is not for rich people” (CCM si ya
matajiri) {Majira , August 13,2000}
“President Mkapa urged the people of Tanzania
not to vote for members of parliament with
scandals of corruption, so that he can choose a
clean cabinet if vote to power {Mwananchi,
August 6, 2000}
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The State owned electronic and print media
ignored stories of widespread graft during
July 200 polls. Radio Tanzania Dar es
Salaam (RTD), a government institution,
failed to show leadership by reporting very
little of the alleged corrupt practices.
Equally disturbing are reports that many
voters are demanding ‘something’ from the
candidates. If the aspirant does not oblige,
he or she is dismissed as unfit for the post of
MP!” The Guardian, Saturday July 22,2000.
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Alasiri newspaper also reported distribution
of food, drinks and money to voters by some
of the CCM candidates. (August 2, 2000).
President Mkapa, reacting to media reports
on corruption, cautioned CCM members to
beware of those using money to assume
leadership. The Guardian headline read,
“Beware of rich bent on owning CCMMkapa” {August 3, 2000}.
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The Guardian carried an editorial asking
voters not to be bought by people who want
to hijack leadership using money [August 4,
2000].
Many newspaper including Tanzania Leo,
Taifa Letu Tanzania and Uwazi carried
comments calling for an end of corruption
in the elections.
Call of affair coverage by State
Media.
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Public media and CCM owned media were
blamed for bias reporting during the
October, 2000 general Election campaigns.
Media and the Union Presidency
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On the union Presidency, The Guardian
carried a headline: “Four parties given the
nod, NCCR –Mageuzi, TPP thrown out of
race [Guardian, august 19, 2000]. The story
said: “Just as it was in 1995, this year’s Union
presidential race has been left to four
contestants:
Results of President Election
(party)
Votes 2000 Percentag Votes 1995 Percentag
CCM
CUF
NCCR
TLPUDP
TOTAL
REGIST
ERED
INVALID
VOTES
5,863,201
1,329,077
637,115
342,891
8,517,598
10,088,48
4
345,314
71.7
16.3
7.8
4.2
84.43
4.05
4,026,422
418,973
1,808,616
258,734
61.8
6.4
27.8
8
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In the 1995 General Election, Mkapa scooped
4,026,422 or 61.8 percent of the total votes. Mrema
who was then the NCCR-Mageuzi candidate got
1,808,616 or 27.8 percent of all votes while Lipumba
got 418,973 or 6 percent of the votes. John Cheyo
of UDP was last with 258,734 or 8 percent. Mkapa
won the Presidency by 61 percent followed by
Mrema (27.8 percent), Prof. Lipumba and Cheyo.
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The need to report the news accurately, objectively,
and truthfully no matter what the subject, has been
the basic philosophy and ethic for the media and
society. Tanzania’s electronic and print media:
Radio Tumaini, Radio Free Africa, Uhuru Radio,
One, Independent Television (ITV), Dar es Salaam
Television (DTV), Coastal Television Network
(CTN), Majira, Mtanzania, the Guardian, Nipashe,
Taifa Letu Tanzania, Tanzania Leo, Sunday
Observer, Uwazi, Mwananchi and Rai played a
relatively laudable role in the months of July and
August 2000 during the CCM preferential polls.
GENERAL ELECTIONS
RESULTS AS ANNOUNCED BY
ELECTORAL COMMISSION IN
NOVEMBER 2005
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CANDIDATES
POLITICAL PARTY
VOTES
%
JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE Chama Cha Mapinduzi 9,102,952
80.24
 PROF. IBRAHIM HARUNA
LIPUMBA
Chama Cha Wananc
1,327, 125
11.7
 FREEMAN AIKAEL
MBOWE
Chama Cha Demokrasia na
668,736
5.89
AUGUSTINO MREMA
Tanzania Labour Party
84,901
0.75
 DR. SENGONDO-MVUNGI
NCCR
55,819
0.49
 REV. CRISTOPHER MTIKILA Democratic Party 31,083
0.27
 EMANUEL- MAKAIDI
National League forDemocracy 21,574
0.19
 ANNA CLAUDIA SENKORO Progressive Party Of Tanzania 18,783
0.17
 PROF. LEONARD KANAGWE
SHAYO
Demokrasia Makini
17,070
0.15
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PAUL HENRY KYARA
Suti ya Umma
16,414
0.14
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