Learn About Presidential Election Coverage Controls

 CAIRO - 14 September 2023: The National Electoral Authority's directives include mandates that stress on media impartiality, accuracy, and professionalism during election coverage. One of the main guidelines prohibits the use of religious slogans to support or oppose any candidate or referendum topic.

The National Electoral Commission, under the leadership of Counselor Waleed Hamza, continues its preparation for the presidential elections. This involves holding regular meetings to review applications from media institutions, electronic sites, local and international civil society organizations that wish to monitor the upcoming presidential elections. All applications have so far been accepted.

The Commission's executive body has been tasked to examine the remaining applications in accordance with the provisions of the National Electoral Commission's decisions numbered 22 and 23 for 2019. These decisions organize the registration in the database of civil society organizations and the media coverage for monitoring elections and referendums.

Key Coverage Guidelines Include:

Distinguishing between opinion and news, and ensuring news is not presented as an advertisement.

Ensuring accuracy in information dissemination and not obscuring its sources.

Using headlines that reflect the content.Refraining from publishing irrelevant images.

Avoiding confusing terminologies or misrepresenting statements.

Not conducting polls near election or referendum committees and not asking voters about their choices.

Respecting each party's right to respond or comment.

Not publishing advertisements for candidates or any referendum opinions after the legally defined campaign period.

Not using religious slogans to endorse or reject a candidate or referendum topic.

Avoiding leading or biased questions.

Disclosing guests' electoral or ideological affiliations regarding the referendum topic.Refusing any donations, aid, or special benefits related to the coverage and ensuring equal representation of all candidates in election advertising.

Decision number 23 of 2019 is particularly focused on establishing a database to register media institutions, electronic sites, and local outlets with the National Electoral Commission to facilitate their election monitoring activities.

The emphasis on media neutrality and accuracy during the coverage of elections is of paramount importance to ensure that the electorate is well-informed and can make decisions based on factual information. The new guidelines, especially the one against the use of religious slogans, reflects a broader move to ensure that elections are not influenced by sectarian sentiments or misinformation.