ISIE publishes decision laying down rules on media coverage during electoral period

Tunis: The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) on Monday published a decision laying down rules on media access, media coverage and procedures with which the media must comply during election periods. The decision, dated July 17, amends and supplements Decision No. 8 of 2018. It aims to guarantee fair and transparent coverage of the election campaign, by defining specific obligations for the audiovisual, print and electronic media. The changes made involve in particular the addition of a new paragraph to Article 2, on the principle of participation and equitable access to the media for all candidates. Speeches must be distributed fairly in terms of time slots. A second paragraph was also added to Article 13 bis, focusing on ISIE's monitoring of news or debate programmes, direct expression programmes or other forums and media content broadcast in the audiovisual media. 'A special unit will be set up to this end and will begin its work after the adoption of the electoral calendar,' according to this new amendment. A new paragraph was also added to Article 18 stipulating that 'the Authority shall report to the Public Prosecutor any suspected electoral offence or crime committed by the media of any kind during the electoral period.' Furthermore, a paragraph was added to Article 13 (12 new) stipulating that the ISIE may organise debates between candidates in coordination with the public media. The private audiovisual media may broadcast these debates after coordination with the electoral authority and the Tunisian radio and television establishments. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse