Africa: Journalists Play crucial role in ensuring Polls are free and Fair
….. Says Veteran US Journalist – By Sainey M.K. Marenah – A veteran African American journalist and author has underscored the significant crucial role journalists in whole over the world play in ensuring the elections are free and fair.
Herb Frazier who is the public relations and marketing manager for Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and the lead consultant on the just concluded ICFJ election reporting course for Gambians journalists was speaking in exclusive interview with last Thursday said: “Journalists has crucial role in the democratization process in election by informing voters before the election so that there can be fair and knowledgeable about events; runoff to the lections adding that journalists during elections can observe.
Journalists have the role to play in ensuring elections are free and fair, he added, saying: “to report in proper channels and getting the information from the proper channels. They can also report on any elections irregularities so that voters can know whether the votes were clean.”
Dilating on the determinant of free and fair polls, Frazier said: “votes that purchased or bought; candidates not giving favors or offers to people; journalists tempted to write stories based favor or offer of money. People make decisions without fear or temptation; or inducement; that the democratic process, you have free flow of information, open and constructive criticism.”
“ This is very important training because it is important for journalists to uphold those fundamental of good journalism fairness; balance; impartiality which are important to ensuring that people have correct information before they go to the polls so informed decisions about who to vote in the upcoming elections.” Frazier a former Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan and founding president of the South Carolina Coastal Association of Black Journalists further said.
He said journalists are not allowed to support one party over another party during elections adding: “journalists should be independent and state only the fact, representing each candidate position in very fair; balance; and accurate manner.
It thus happen journalists support one political party over another but it should done fair and balance and above all objectivity, Frazier the author of “Behind God’s Back,” a recently released book that contains a collection of stories from Gullah people who live in the Cainhoy, Huger and Wando communities near Charleston added.
He slam some African journalists whom he said have been tempted because African journalists by large don’t make lot of money, they have families to raise; reasonability and sometimes if tempted to take money or favor it put voters mind whether the journalist is biased or unbiased, that lingering and widespread problems in some African countries I conducted this type of training.
He calls on Gambians journalists to maintain objectivity and professionalism as their guiding principles adding that journalism in the Gambia need more investment as talent and zeal of Gambian journalists notice.
He urges journalists to be focus on fundamental of good journalism saying that good journalists is someone who has numerous experience about life; who asks tough questions; who able to interact and put people to ease; win the trust of the people; empathy; understand their people; keep an open mind listen to all sides; consistent ; caring; and also someone who take lot information and presented them in clear and concise manner so that it can understood by an average person adding that every story has two sides.
Frazier who also report and edit for many US newspapers said he saw a brighter future for Gambians journalists as they are young and committed to the profession despite working in hostile environment and living in tough conditions, working.
Journalists has crucial role in the democratization process in election by informing voters before the election so that there can be fair and knowledgeable about events; runoff to the lections adding that journalists during elections can observe.
Journalists have the role to play in ensuring elections are free and fair, he added, saying: “to report in proper channels and getting the information from the proper channels. They can also report on any elections irregularities so that voters can know whether the votes were clean.”
Dilating on the determinant of free and fair polls, Frazier said: “votes that purchased or bought; candidates not giving favors or offers to people; journalists tempted to write stories based favor or offer of money. People make decisions without fear or temptation; or inducement; that the democratic process, you have free flow of information, open and constructive criticism.”
