Pluralistic media essential for democratic elections, says OSCE media freedom representative

VIENNA, 15 May 2009 - Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today that pluralistic television that provides access to fair information about all participating parties is a prerequisite for free elections.

Haraszti made his comments in a statement issued after signing a Joint Statement on Media and Elections today together with counterparts from the United Nations, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

"When television, the main source of information, is monopolized by governments or by a tight group of owners, the print press or internet-based media cannot sufficiently perform the job elections require, namely ensuring that all viewpoints and political perspectives are presented to the electorate," Haraszti said.

"External pluralism of the privately-owned media and guaranteed internal pluralism via public-service channels form the solid and indispensable basis of an informed electoral choice."

The Joint Statement on Media and Elections also was signed by Frank LaRue, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Catalina Botero, OAS Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Faith Pansy Tlakula, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information. The drafting process was co-ordinated by Toby Mendel, Senior Legal Counsel at ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression. The statement calls for:

• Measures to create an environment in which a pluralistic media sector can flourish.
• The repeal of laws that unduly restrict freedom of expression.
• Protection against liability for disseminating statements made directly by political parties or candidates.
• Effective systems to prevent threats and attacks against the media.
• Rules against discrimination in the allocation of political advertisements.
• Any regulatory powers to be exercised only by independent bodies.
• Clear obligations on public broadcasters, including to inform the electorate, to respect strictly rules on impartiality and balance, and to grant all parties and candidates equitable access.

The four global free expression rapporteurs also agreed that measures to create an environment in which a pluralistic media sector can thrive should include obligations of transparency of media ownership, licensing of different types of broadcasters to promote diversity, rules to prevent undue concentration of media ownership and measures to promote content diversity among and within media outlets. 

The statement is available on the OSCE website: //www.osce.org/documents/rfm/2009/05/37655_en.pdf