Media Monitoring Project Afghanistan Runoff Campaign Narrative Report
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MEDIA MONITORING PROJECT AFGHANISTAN RUNOFF CAMPAIGN NARRATIVE REPORT 17 June—30 June 2014 I. Background and Introduction: The IEC MC has established the Media Monitoring Project Afghanistan (MMPA), conducted by a third party, in support of its effort to monitor media conduct during the electoral process, as required by article 61 of the Electoral Law. Beginning on 22 May, the MMPA has been recording and monitoring coverage of 59 media outlets. This includes 21 private Kabul-based televisions, eight private Kabul-based radios, eight provincial televisions, seven provincial radios, twelve print media and three online media. See the attached Annexes for more details on the methodology, sources and entities monitored. The monitoring methodology is based on internationally recognized standards and practices and aims to provide qualitative and quantitative analysis of print and electronic media. The monitoring reports present statistics about the amount of time/space allocated to candidates and their campaign teams in different programmes, shares of the direct speech of candidates and representatives of their campaign teams, distribution of time according to gender of candidate/campaign team representative, the tone of the coverage - whether it is positive, neutral or negative - and instances of coverage which appear to be inconsistent with legal framework governing the media coverage of the campaign. This final report provides an overview of the results and coverage trends following the Second Round of the 2014 Presidential Council Election campaign media monitoring from 17 June 2014 through 30 June 2014. I. Broadcasting of Unofficial Results • A few channels broadcast initial results, either in the broadcast media or online or social media channels, in the few days after the election. These included. • Shamshad TV (in their news programs) and Pajhwok Afghan News (online) are broadcasting unofficial results. • Zhowandoon TV has not mentioned initial results in their broadcast programs but is sharing them online, for example: https://www.facebook.com/Zhwandoon.TV/posts/654850947929429 • The attached appendix includes the list of Facebook pages which are distributing unofficial results, although most of them are not pages officially affiliated with the media. Tuesday, June 17 • The news and speculations regarding IEC Chief Amarkhail is one of the topics most frequently discussed in the media since Saturday evening, including statements denying his involvement in fraud by both Nuristani and Noor and statements by MOI representatives, candidates, and elections observation organizations. Most media are presenting multiple sides of the story and relaying the ongoing developments. The information being shared on social media has more of a slant depending on the source, for example: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1495319397352763&set=a.13896057 61257461.1073741827.1389598321258205&type=1&theater Wednesday, June 18 • Dr. Abdullah Abudllah gave a press conference Wednesday around 2 pm that was broadcasted live by many media calling the election invalid and claiming to have gathered evidence of fraud, including ballot boxes stuffed the night before the election. He accused the IEC and the IECC of conducting fraud and also President Karzai of interfering in the election. He questioned the 7 million number cited for voter turnout and claimed that the 5,000 IEC employees who were fired after the first round were replaced by Ghani’s supporters. He claimed that he would boycott the election and remove his observers from the IEC unless they suspended vote counting immediately. He also called for the suspension of IEC Secretariat Amarkhail. He requested that the UN form a commission to oversee the election process. He stated that he is the winner of both elections and will not accept the results if the counting process continues. He emphasized that he believes in the electoral process but does not trust the elections commissions. • Aina TV and 1 TV also broadcasted the statement of Ashraf Ghani's spokesperson Faizullah Zaki on Jun 18, 2014 at 19:00. Mr. Zaki said Abdullah Abdullah's demand to stop counting of votes and calling his observers to leave the IEC is against the promises that the candidates made to the IEC on the day of registering their nomination. He added that the absence of candidates' observers can't stop the election process. He also refused the allegations of fraud against their team. He called on Abdullah Abdullah's observers to perform their duties and be present in the vote counting process like other national and international observers. These statements were also covered in the News Bulletins of Saba and Shamshad TV. 2 • Aina TV, 1 TV, Arezo, Kabul News, Zhwandoon, Ariana News, Tolo News, Saba and Khurshid TV channels also covered the press conference of Ahmad zia Massoud, senior member of Ashraf Ghani's team, in their News Bulletins on Jun 18, 2014. He asked the people of Afghanistan to cooperate with their team if they succeed in the run-off. He said that the success of their team is good for the people of Afghanistan and asked the people to be patient and don't let the country to go into a crisis. He claimed that partial results show they have won the election. He also added that peoples' votes should be respected and political power shouldn't be taken by force. He said that it is a national treachery if the peoples' votes are not respected and the country goes into a crisis. Thursday, June 19 • At 4:10 pm Dr. Abdullah Abdullah's press conference was broadcasted by nine TV stations inlcuding as Kabul News, Tolo News, Ariana News, Arezo, Noor, Mitra, Rah-e-Farda, 1 TV and Khurshid TV. Abdullah Abdullah declared his position against the IEC and the government and said that counting of votes in absence of their observers is not acceptable to them because their requests have been ignored by the IEC and the government. Requests included the suspension and trial of the IEC Secretariat, clarification on the 7.9 million number of voters, clarification on the number of voters in insecure regions, and delaying the announcement of initial results. • Several TV stations including Arezo TV and Noorin TV reported IEC chairman Nuristani’s announcement that they would continue the tally of votes in the presence of civil and global societies representatives and media and wouldn't stop counting votes due to the absence of one candidate’s observers. • Noor TV reported that Naim Ayoubzada, head of TEFA, said that participation in the run-off was lower than the first round of election. He added that counting votes in the absence of Abdullah Abdullah’s observers is incorrect and the IEC should have the Secretariat seriously investigated. Ariana News TV reported that TEFA suggested forming a joint committee in order to solve the problem between Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and the IEC. Noorin TV reported that TEFA said that based on their findings from 34 provinces, there was more electoral fraud in the run-off than in the first round of election. He added that the IECC should impartially investigate the complaints. They also broadcasted Nuristani’s announcement that there was no evidence of Amarkhail’s guilt and that documentation against him that may prove him guilty should be sent to the IEC. He added that the Government should investigate the case. • However, Shamshad TV reported that Naim Ayoubzada, head of TEFA said there was less fraud in the run-off than the first round of election. Shamshad TV also reported that IEC Spokesperson Noor Mohammad Noor said that based on a 3 letter of agreement between the IEC and the candidates, none of the candidates can stop cooperating with the IEC and the IEC cannot stop tallying votes. Aina TV reported that Representatives, Senators and Civil Society Activists of Paktia, Paktika and Logar provinces asked the presidential candidates to accept the election result. Friday, June 20 • Several TV stations including Arezo, Negah, Shamshad and Aina reported that the IEC would announce 35% partial results on June 21, 2014. Several TV stations also reported the delay in the results announcement. • Several TV stations including Maiwand, Arezo, Negah, Tolo News, Ariana News, Shamshad and Zhwandoon reported that as a result of infighting between Juma Khan Hamdard, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s campaign team member and ex- governor of Paktia, and the Kabul-Mazar Highway Police, around 10 people have been killed or wounded. Saturday, June 21 • Several TV and Radio stations including Salam Watandar FM, Afghanistan FM, Khawar TV, Aina TV, Negah TV, Shamshad TV, Noorin TV, Saba TV, Khurshid TV, Kabul News, Afghan TV, Ariana News, Arezo TV, RTA and 1 TV reported the announcement by IEC chief Nuristani that in order to build trust between the presidential candidates, partial results will be announced with a delay. He added that the UN and Government are negotiating with the candidates to solve the problem. Nawa FM and Aina TV reported that Nuristani said they have received 80% of results sheets from 34 provinces and these have been entered into the system. After processing, some of them might be quarantined or invalidated. • Nawa FM, Shamshad TV, and Ariana News TV reported that the IECC office in Helmand province said they have quarantined ballot boxes from 13 polling centers due to suspicion of fraudulent documents. • Khawar TV, Shamshad TV, Arezo TV reported that hundreds of youth and civil society activists demonstrated in different parts of Kabul city. They said that the IEC hasn’t provided a clear response to Dr. Abdullah Abdullah’s questions and the officials who are involved in fraud still haven’t been suspended from their duties. They wanted clear votes to be separated from fraudulent ones. • The IEC and UNAMA press conferences today were also live broadcast on a number of channels.