Reporting 2014 National Elections: a good story to tell?

MMA Interim Report Launch

Rosebank5 May 2014

Overview

• Welcome• Get food eat, drink.• MMA: not the 5W’s just 2;• Our Interim report: Results• Playing with our tools;• End

About MMA: Our Vision

• A just and fair society empowered by a free, responsible and quality media

About MMA: Our Mission

• To promote development of: – Media that is transparent, diverse, ethical and

accountable to its audiences

– Critical and constructive communications by the powerful

– Informed, engaged and connected citizenry

About MMA: Practical

How should media cover elections?

• Comprehensive

• Fair and balanced

• People/citizen-centered

How MMA has analysed elections coverage

• Political party coverage• Topics• Sources (including gender, race)• Spread of coverage (geographical areas)• Quality of coverage• Fairness

Big 5: Party Coverage

MMA: Elections Watch

Topics making it

Issues NOT making it

Who’s Voices?Number Name & Party %

1 Jacob Zuma - ANC 6%

2 Julius Malema -EFF 4%

3 Helen Zille - DA 4%

4 Mmusi Maimane - DA 3%

5Thuli Madonsela - Public Protector 2%

6 Gwede Mantashe - ANC 2%

7 Jackson Mthembu - ANC 2%

8 Lindiwe Mazibuko - DA 1%

9Ronnie Kasrils - Spoil your vote 1%

10Mamphela Ramphele - Agang SA 1%

Number Name & Party %

11 Bantu Holomisa - UDM 1%

12 Kate Bapela - IEC 1%

13 James Selfe - DA 1%

14 Dali Mpofu - EFF 1%

15 Cyril Ramaphosa - ANC 1%

16 Max Sisulu - ANC 1%

17 Marius Fransman - ANC 1%

18 Mbuyiseni Ndlozi - EFF 1%

19 Pansy Tlakula - IEC 1%

20Zwelinzima Vavi - Maybe ANC 1%

Voices of PowerNumber Party/Org/Affiliation %

1 ANC 22%

2 DA 15%

3 EFF 7%

4 "Ordinary" people 4%

5 Media practitioners 4%

6 Public Protector 4%

7 IEC 3%

8 Legal practitioners 2%

9 Prominent people 2%

10 Agang SA 2%

Number Party/Org/Affiliation %

11 Presidency 2%

12 COPE 2%

13 Academics & Experts 2%

14 NFP 1%

15 COSATU 1%

16 Other political parties 1%

17 UDM 1%

18 IFP 1%

19 Parliament 1%

20 FF+ 1%

Something Big to Celebrate!

Hot air..

• All Quotes from top 5 parties;

• Look for issues..

• Is it media or the parties or both responsible for messages?

Tools you may want to use

Wazi: An Info Mash Dash for Journalists

Newstools: Churnalism – how much are we regurgitating?

Sizweni: Make Children an Elections Issue

Elections Watch: Interactive & Up to date

Still to come

• More interactive results on dashboard.mediamonitoringafrica

• Latest election results on Wazi map and integration of media coverage

• Interactive elections report;• Themed Wazi map…

Elections, Elections, Elections

William BirdMedia Monitoring Africawww.mediamonitoringafrica.orgTel:+2711 788 1278Cell: +2782 887 1370Twitter: @billbobbirdE: williamb@mma.org.za

Trends in media coverage

• Coverage given to bigger parties• Politicians set the agenda• Coverage limited to bigger cities• Bread and butter issues receive less

coverage• Issues affecting marginalised groups are

sidelined