EU Election Observation Mission to
Sri Lanka
Presidential Elections 2005

 

Media analysis methodology

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) will monitor the Parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka in order to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the electoral process and then offer an impartial, balanced and informed assessment of the elections.

In order to carry out this observation, one part of the EOM is devoted to monitoring the media coverage of the elections. The media unit monitors both public and private media.

The EU EOM monitors media coverage of elections in order to assess four things:

  • whether political parties and candidates gain fair access to the media,
  • whether political parties and candidates are covered in a unbiased manner,
  • whether the media and the authorities abide by the rules and regulations covering their conduct during the campaign – both in terms of national legislation and any international treaties which Sri Lanka is signatory to, and
  • whether it was possible for the public to gather sufficient information via the media to assist them to make a decision on election day.

There is a team of media monitors trained in the quantitative and qualitative methodology normally used by the EU Election Observation Mission to measure the time, space and tone devoted to the political parties and candidates in a cross-section of the Sri Lankan media. The methodology used has been employed in other countries whose elections were observed by the European Union, included Cambodia (2001), Kenya (2002), Madagascar (2002), Congo Brazzaville (2002), Mozambique (2003).

In addition, the Media Expert analyses the legal provisions regarding media, the implementation of these provisions, including the granting free broadcast time, and if the campaign silence period prior to Election Day is honoured. The Media Expert will meet government officials with jurisdiction in aspect of the media, journalists, editors and executives of public and private media outlets as well as international and national NGOs working in this field. The Media Expert of the EU EOM will gather information to assess any complaints made by the parties on the quality or quantity of their media coverage and how they were dealt by the competent authorities.

The results of the overall analysis will form part of the EU EOM's assessment of the election process.