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Bloggers as Election Watchdogs. Mini Blog Summit Nov 24, 2007 Luz Rimban. Gaps in Reportage in 2004. Party-list elections Local elections Senatorial elections Policy development issues. From CMFR media monitoring of the media coverage of the 2004 elections. Coverage of 2007 elections.
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Bloggers as Election Watchdogs Mini Blog Summit Nov 24, 2007 Luz Rimban
Gaps in Reportage in 2004 • Party-list elections • Local elections • Senatorial elections • Policy development issues From CMFR media monitoring of the media coverage of the 2004 elections.
Coverage of 2007 elections • Coverage not as extensive • Public disinterest • Public skepticism over electoral institutions • Focused on TU vs. GO From CMFR media monitoring of the media coverage of the 2007 elections.
Other gaps: • Failure to turn key issues into election issues: • “Hello, Garci” • Extrajudicial killings • Corruption • Linking local issues and elections with national issues and contests
Questions: • Do bloggers fill the gaps? Which gaps? • How to do it? • How do bloggers work with other election watchdogs? • To what end? • How do you excite the public and get them interested in the effort?
Elements of an Election • Political parties and candidates • The issues • The voting process • The media
Voters’ rights: • Are all voters on the voters’ lists? • Are all voters free to hear and discuss the parties and issues without fear? • Do parties threaten voters or election officials or tell them for whom to vote? • Do parties or officials try to bribe voters with money, large gifts, or promises of jobs?
Candidates and party rights • Are election rules and limits applied equally to all parties? • Are any powerful interests spending large amounts of money to support one particular party or candidate? • Are government officials neutral and not using government money or resources such as vehicles to favor one party? • Is the party in power announcing new projects at the start of the election campaign?
The election process • Are voters’ lists complete? • Is the election commission impartial? • Does the election commission investigate and stop violations of election laws? • Does the private media provide reliable and fair reporting? • Does the private media treat all parties’ advertisements equally?