The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) disclosed that all media houses in Guyana that the recently launched Media Monitoring Unit (MMU), has commenced monitoring of the country’s mainstream print and broadcast media, as well as selected online media, with effect from March 1, 2015. This comes after staff of the Unit completed a rigorous five-day Media Code of Conduct familiarization exercise, during which they were given expert guidance in understanding, interpreting, and implementing the 2015 Elections Media Code of Conduct.
The MMU will be producing its first report for the monitoring period March 1 – 31, 2015, and will make it available to all media houses sometime between the first and second weeks of April, 2015. The analyses in the reports to be produced by the MMU will primarily be aimed at providing a complete picture regarding:
i The level of journalistic professionalism employed by all media operatives,
ii The access granted by Media Owners/Managers/Editors to candidates and/or political parties in the mass media.
iii Whether the coverage provided by media houses is fair and balanced.
iv The tone of media coverage towards candidates and political parties.
v. Whether the electorate is gaining diverse, comprehensive and impartial information from all media in order to make an informed choice on Election Day.
The findings of the MMU reports will be in line with the recently signed Elections Media Code of Conduct.
