The Media Council of Malawi (MCM) has urged stakeholders to work together to promote integrity, transparency, and accountability in the media’s coverage of the upcoming 16 September elections.
Speaking at a two-day workshop on election reporting in Mangochi under the theme “Electoral Broadcasting in the 21st Century: Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions,” MCM Executive Director Moses Kaufa emphasized the need for ethical journalism during the electoral period.
The Executive Director emphasized the important role of the media during elections. He stated that the media are responsible for providing accurate information about candidates, parties and voting procedures to the public. He added that this helps promote an understanding of the electoral process, encourages public participation and ensures transparency by uncovering and reporting any instances of malpractice.
Kaufa however highlighted several common challenges in election reporting, including biased and unbalanced coverage, unequal representation of candidates or political parties, the spread of misinformation and fake news, failure to verify facts, and external pressures from political or corporate entities. He says such challenges can lead to confusion among voters and compromise the democratic process.
Through its Executive Director, MCM has urged media professionals to uphold the journalistic code of ethics that demand fairness, accuracy and impartiality. The organization has also encouraged public engagement and journalists to implement fact-checking mechanisms to counter misinformation.
Additionally, the organization has implored media houses to provide security training for their reporters, called on stakeholders to observe legal frameworks and encouraged both media practitioners and the public to regularly visit the MCM website and digital platforms, where daily guidelines are shared.
Organized by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), the event has brought together regional and national broadcasters. The guest of honour at the event is Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Digitalization.
