AFGHANISTAN'S MEDIA COMMISSION: UP AND RUNNING

UNCLAS KABUL 001424

DEPT FOR S/CRS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN'S MEDIA COMMISSION: UP AND RUNNING


1. (SBU) Summary: The newly-created Media Commission, slated to play
an important role in the upcoming presidential election, is now up
and running. In addition to monitoring compliance with the media
code of conduct, the Commission intends to organize radio and TV
airtime for candidate roundtables, offering the airtime to
candidates on an equitable basis. The Commission has restricted
inherent powers to sanction violators of the code, and will look to
international partners for support throughout the campaign process.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) Chief Commissioner Sidiquallah Towhidi told the
international election stakeholders meeting on May 31 that the Media
Commission is up and running, with five commissioners in place, two
of whom are women. He explained the procedures the Commission would
use in allegations of violations of the IEC-drafted code of conduct
for media during the election campaign. In case of violations, the
Commission has limited inherent powers. It can request a retraction
or correction from the offending party, or the right of reply for
the offended party. If these remedies are not applicable or
responded to, the Commission intends to refer such matters either to
the Justice Ministry for prosecution, or to the Ministry of
Information and Tourism's internal Media Commission - the downside
of which, as Tahidi commented candidly, is that the Information
Minister is widely viewed as a close Karzai ally.


3. (SBU) Towhidi said the Commission plans to purchase air time on
five TV and ten radio stations in order to air candidate roundtables
and individual candidate spots; candidates would be eligible to take
advantage of this air time on an equitable basis. Subsequently,
Commission staff told us they would meet with commercial media next
week to iron out the terms of providing this air time.


4. (SBU) In addition to Towhidi, the other commissioners include
Fawzia Nazari, Dad Mohammad Annaby; Huda Yasmin Noori; M. Arif
Gharwal. The Media Commission expanded from three to five members
for the 2009 election. Most commissioners have a journalism
background and two served previously on the previous media
commission.


5. (SBU) The media commission has four main tasks: a. Monitor the
coverage of the electoral campaign by the mass media; b. Address
complaints of alleged breaches of fair reporting and coverage of the
political campaign and other violations of the mass media code of
conduct; c. Set up and oversea the sponsored advertising program
that will provide each candidate with free of cost airtime on radio
or television including several roundtables where candidates appear
together for discussion; d. Verify the silence period in the media
during the 48 hours before the commencement of polling and on
election day. During the silence period, the media should not cover
any candidate's political activity, nor publish or broadcast any
results fm the opinion surveys or exit polls. The Media Commission
will likely contract for the media monitoring and sponsored
airtime/roundtable events.


6. (SBU) Any registered voter, political party, candidate or their
representative can file a complaint in case of violation of the
media Code of Conduct. The complaint needs to be made on a form
issued by the Media Commission, signed by the witness, and delivered
within 72 hours of the alleged violation to any provincial election
office, the Electoral Media Commission, or the IEC.


7. (SBU) Media Monitoring: For clarification, there are several
media monitoring activities connected with the IEC. As discussed
above, the Media Commission will monitor media coverage of the
campaigns. It is hiring 60 monitors to examine print, broadcast and
TV discussions in 20 main provinces. The monitoring will being 20
June and the first media monitoring report is due 29 June. The IEC
itself also conducts media monitoring of reporting about the IEC and
its activities (across print, radio and television.) Finally, the
UNDP-ELECT is contracting for media monitoring to review the entire
IEC process and to serve as a balance to the other monitoring
efforts.


8. (SBU) Media Code of Conduct requires media institutions and
representatives to sign and abide by the following guidelines: a.
Refrain form broadcasting or releasing election related reports that
could cause violence or tribal, linguistic, regional, ethnic, or
religious discrimination; b. ensure all election related reports
are prepared with impartiality, accuracy, fairness, and equity; c.
provide detailed information to the public concerning the different
election processes; d. refrain from printing, broadcasting or
publishing incorrect information that could mislead the participants
in an election; e. avoid printing, broadcasting or publishing
scandalous advertisements or insulting reports about a candidate's
personality or behavior that could affect the election results; f.
refrain from publishing partial reports and avoid focusing only on
activities that support or harm a specific political party or
candidate; g. use only the official numbers and information for
preparing and publishing reports, and refrain from publishing or
broadcasting rumors or gossip; h. specify the sources of opinions
and information; i. refrain from accepting any gift or payment from
a political party or candidate for broadcasting elections reports;
j. when the IEC requests, correct mistakes existing in their
election reports as soon as possible; k. respect the decisions of
IEC, ECC, and MC, and take the necessary actions for the
implementation of their decisions.


9. (SBU) The Media Commission could decide to sanction violations
by: a. Issuing a public reprimand to the individual or the Mass
Media outlet involved; b. Issuing an order requiring the violator to
publish a correction drafted by the Media Commission; c. Requiring
its decision to be published by the violator; d. Ordering retraction
or right to reply; e. Referring the matter to the IEC, the Electoral
Complaints Commission, the Public Prosecution Office or the Media
Commission of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.


10. (SBU) Separate from the Media Commission, the IEC External
Affairs Department, headed by Mohammad Farid Afghanzai, handles
other media issues. In addition to protocol, this department will:
a. prepare and disseminate media statements and briefing documents
on behalf of the IEC; b. Contact media for regular media briefings
and special media events for the IEC and IECS; c.Prepare and
disseminate press releases, media handbooks and brochures; d.
Maintain and update the IEC website; e.Ensure the facilitation of
requests for interviews with IEC members; f. Collect needed
materials and information and respond to information requests from
media; g. When appropriate, respond to incorrect information in
media; h. Monitor local and national media to gain understanding of
the information and messages that are being broadcasted and
distributed on the electoral process and IEC; collect and analyze
information and prepare adequate response; i. Processing of media
applications for accreditation; j. Distribute media credentials.

EIKENBERRY