Abide by journalistic ethics in electoral reporting — EC Director
The Eastern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Faith Amedzake, has urged journalists to apply high journalistic ethics and standards in their reporting of electoral issues, especially as the nation prepares for the 2016 general election.
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She said the Commission knew the critical role the media played in the electoral process and would, therefore, engage them in their deliberations so that they would thoroughly understand all the issues so as to ensure peace before, during and after the general election.
She made the call at a workshop for media practitioners on the highlights of public regulation 2016 (C.I.91) in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
Cooperation
Mrs Amedzake advised media practitioners to cooperate with the EC and always contact it for information in order to make their stories credible.
“Our doors are always opened for you so never hesitate to come to us when you need any information”, she added.
Mr Alex Opoku Akubia, the Senior Research Officer in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation at the EC, explained some of the principles and guidelines journalists must consider in the electoral process.
He also encouraged the media to be fair and accurate in their reporting so as not to tarnish the image of their profession.
“Media practitioners have to collaborate with the EC to foster a good relationship,” he said.
He expressed much concern about some challenges confronting the EC which needed urgent redress.
Mr Opoku Akubia urged the media to help educate those who had turned 18 and above and all those who could not register for the 2012 general election to take advantage of the limited registration exercise to do so.
Circumspection
Speaking on the topic: ‘’Contribution of the Media in the Election Process,’’ Mr Kwamina Onumah, the Eastern Region Correspondent of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), urged the journalists to be very circumspect in their reporting.
He commended the EC for continuously educating the media on the electoral process and expressed the hope that the participants would put what they had learnt into practice.
