Media for Development

Election reporting for young democracies

 

Many broadcast organisations see election time as the highlight of their activities. Budgets are raised, air time is being extended, new programmes are invented, old rules are scrutinised and updated. During election time the broadcaster can count on a large audience: it is not the moment to make mistakes...

Election reporting for TV Zanzibar...
Not every nation has a long and rich history in election reporting. In those cases it is good to learn from best practices elsewhere. That is why the management of TV Zanzibar decided to look for tailor-made training through the Dutch NUFFIC NFP programmes.
Another reason for seeking tailor-made training was the introduction of digital equipment at the station.

Independent reporting
Twenty media professionals from TV Zanzibar came to the Netherlands for a month. The course focused on the enhancement of independent reporting skills and on working digital, which calls for training and new ways of working together.


The second leg of the course took place after the elections, in Zanzibar. Course leader Fons Peters met the course participants once again and together they analysed how the coverage of the elections went and discussed their experiences in working with digital equipment.

... and for Bhutan Broadcasting Services
The year 2008 is a historic year for the Kingdom of Bhutan. For the first time in the country’s existence the population went to the polls to vote for parliament. Bhutan will also adopt its first constitution; the kingdom will be transformed from an absolute into a constitutional monarchy.

Tailor-made training
At the request of Bhutan’s Broadcasting Service BBS RNTC organised a study tour in the Netherlands. Four staff members came to observe at first hand broadcast media coverage of the Dutch parliamentary elections, in November 2006. The working visit was followed by a tailor-made training for 20 RTV journalists from BBS, held in 2007 in the Netherlands. A follow-up training took place several weeks later in Bhutan.