Elections and the Media in Post-Conflict Africa: Votes and Voices for Peace?

ISBN-13: 9781780320182 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 304 str.

Marie-Soleil Frere

Opis

Over the past ten years, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville and Rwanda all organized pluralist elections in a post conflict context, having experienced an armed conflict which either interrupted or prevented democratization processes. These polls were organized with the support of the international community, which viewed them as a crucial step in the peace-building process. The local media's role throughout has been to ensure that an electoral process is actually "free and fair" -- a role that becomes even more crucial in countries where the media have previously being perceived as warmongers or peace-builders in the conflicts. Giving a voice to African journalists and analyzing the work they have been publishing or broadcasting during these elections, African media specialist Marie-Soleil Frere explores if and how the local media fulfilled their duties. In doing so, the book reveals journalists' professionalism at a time when much is expected from the media, as well as the intense political pressure faced that can make their work particularly difficult. Insightful and comprehensive, "Elections and the Media in Post-Conflict Afr"ica underlines both the importance and the fragility of the role of the media in a democratic system.

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Spis treści

Introduction - New Votes and New Voices Part I: Elections and the Media in Central Africa: Stakes and Challenges 1. Burundi: Elections and Media for Peace 2. Central African Republic: The Ballot and the Media in a Stateless Country 3. Republic of the Congo: Elections Marred by Violence 4. Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Colossal Political and Media Challenge 5. Rwanda: A Slowly Emerging Pluralism 6. Chad: The Impossible Democratic Changeover Part II: The Preparatory Phase: The Media's Pre-Electoral Commitments 7. Informing Voters 8. Presenting and Analysing the Electoral System and Process 9. The Census and the Establishment of Electoral Registers 10. The Authorities in Charge of Monitoring the Elections 11. Regulating the Media: Regulation and Regulatory Frameworks 12. Donors' Interventions: Anticipating or Reacting to the First Symptoms Part III: The Media During the Electoral Campaign 13. Presenting the Campaign's Stakes and Actors 14. The Fair Allocation of Print Space and Airtime 15. The Risks of Going Off Tracks 16. Informal Media Campaigns 17. Provincial Media on the Campaign Trail 18. Journalists' Difficulties in Following the Campaign Part IV: From Polling Day to the Results 19. Covering Voting Operations 20. Direct Intervention in the Unfolding of the Elections 21. Working With, Besides or Against Independent Observers 22. From the Polls to the Results: Covering Uncertainty 23. Accepting or Challenging the Results Epilogue: Covering What Comes Next Conclusion The Problems of Electoral Coverage in Post Conflict Countries Opportunities in the Twenty-First Century Bibliography