Testing deontology or, the press and the electoral fight

The electoral and deontological sins of Moldovan media

However, things are different. Ethical violations that are noticed today are rather related to the editorial policy and practice of the newspapers and can be resumed as follows:

1. Lack of equidistance. In the Moldovan media it’s "take it or leave it", i.e., there is no place for analyzing policy options. In most cases one can definitely say, depending on the name of the newspaper, which party will be promoted and which party will be criticized therein, or, another habit of the Moldovan press, which party will be simply ignored.  
2. False equidistance, which is mostly specific for televisions.  TV channels imitate equidistance within their talk shows by selecting particular invitees, thus making it easy to foresee the conclusions they will reach or will suggest to the audience.
3. Lack of analysis of electoral documents. It is known that the political platform of a party constitutes (or at least it should comprise) the offer under which they get votes. In the European countries, the media’s electoral communication consists in the examination and analysis of political platforms.  What Moldovan press is currently doing is disseminating impressions and opinions about representatives of various politics, propagating through the media the electoral campaign itself. And I wonder, what is the public use of so many broadcasting hours or so many acres of wasted printing paper?
4. The right of reply and consulting opinions. Most of the times, the media forgets about these principles and completely ignores them in their critical articles.
5. Substituting the information on the electoral campaign with electoral advertising, present not only as visual inserts, but also as political advertorials, business reports and interviews, written, incidentally, by journalists from the editorial office, which is against Article 5.4, because any advertisement, even politic al advertisement, may be seen as commercial product.
6. The clear and visible separation of the advertising and information material, under Art. 2.10 of the Ethics Code and the separation of opinion articles, according to Article 2.9.

European practices

In Belgium, for instance, besides the basic principles of the code of ethics in respect to the truth and separating facts and opinions, as well as Article 13 providing non-involvement of journalists in propaganda activities, there is a specific and detailed text about electoral campaigns, with 4 basic rules:
- Decisions related to covering the elections must be taken by the editorial staff through the journalistic criteria; All the political trends shall be considered, even the new or extremist ones, following their relevance for journalism; Media is required not to give the floor during live programs to parties or movements identified as racist or non-democratic; If journalists become candidates in the elections, they should avoid any conflict of interest and editorial managers should take steps to avoid them.

In Ireland newspapers and magazines are not required to be impartial in covering election campaigns (for example, a newspaper may support a particular political party). As a rule, newspapers are obliged to observe the principles of the Code of good practice, including truth and accuracy, the distinction between facts and comments. On the other hand, the law requires broadcasters to be impartial in covering elections. They cannot support any political party and are subject to control of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, which is a statutory body.
 
In the Netherlands, Code of Ethics does not provide for any special rule on election campaigns. However, politicians are entitled to submit complaints to the Press Council under the Paris Principles. And in this case the politician may request an accelerated process. In practice, this means that a decision is issued only a week after a complaint is received. That principle is applied to both the general and local elections.
 

In conclusion

Elections are something stressful for the society and for the media. They have logic and their own way of manifestation. The temptation to overlook ethical norms is very high. But the media’s primary duty is fair and accurate information, which must prevail over political struggle and the revenues ensured by election advertising. The sustainability of media depends on its ability to come clear after the elections, while playing an important role in promoting democratic principles and exercising their function as "watchdog of society".