Independent Broadcasting Authority
5, de Courson Street, Curepipe Road, Mauritius Tel: (230) 670 4621 Fax: (230) 670 2335
E-mail: iba@intnet.mu, Web address: http://iba.gov.mu

POLITICAL BROADCASTS AND PARTY ELECTION BROADCASTS GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC BROADCASTERS GENERAL ELECTIONS 2005 (ISSUED IN PURSUANCE OF PARAGRAPH 6 OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR BROADCASTING SERVICES OF THE IBA ACT) Broadcasting licensees shall ensure that these Guidelines are strictly adhered to by their employees and agents, and, wherever applicable, their interviewees. PART A - POLITICAL BROADCASTS A.1 Preamble (1) (a) Broadcasting licensees shall provide fair, equitable, balanced, accurate and impartial reporting of political events and fair, equitable and balanced coverage to all parties, alliances and independent candidates at elections. This implies, inter alia, that the broadcasting licensee shall be guided by what the public has the right to know and shall not pose as an unchallenged authority that has unrestrained freedom to decide what the public ‘should’ know. Nor is it the broadcasting licensee’s function to arbitrarily decide in advance that some candidates are more ‘worthy’ of coverage than others. Broadcasting licensees shall, in particular, ensure that, during the 48 hours immediately preceding polling day, they do not broadcast any politically-related matter which may reasonably upset the balance to be observed throughout the election broadcast period pursuant to these Guidelines. For the purposes of subparagraph (b), “politically-related matter” does not include a party election broadcast, such broadcast being, in any event, subject to the requirements laid down in Part B (and more particularly paragraph B.2(2) of these Guidelines.

(b)

(c)

(2)

Broadcasting licensees shall not rely on political parties to bring information to them. They shall actively seek out information so as not to give parties with greater resources inequitable amounts of