2 4/2 , 2 8t h La n e , Of f Fl o we r Ro a d , Co l o m b o 7, Sr i La n ka Tel: 94-11-2565304 / 94-11-256530z6 / 94-11-5552746, Fax: 94-11-4714460 E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.cpalanka.org Media Unit Monitoring media coverage of Presidential election November 2005 Report No. 03 From 08th October to 07th November 2005 Methodology 1. News items, articles, editorials, photographs and cartoons that expressed partiality towards any particular political party were placed in a category titled FAVORABLE. Reports, articles as well as propaganda items were included in this category. 2. All news items, articles, editorials, photographs and cartoons that expressed views critical of any particular political party were placed in a category titled UNFAVORABLE. Reports and articles as well as propaganda items were included in this category. 3. Articles written by people requesting solutions problems during the election period and their point of views , were placed in the category of VOTER ISSUES 4. Statements or interviews given by the Election Commissioner and articles that had an educational content on the election were placed in the category of ELECTION OFFICIAL. 5. Articles and reports on election violence were placed in the category of ELECTION VIOLENCE. 6. News items, articles, editorials, photographs supporting free and fair election were included in the category called FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. 7. News items, articles, editorials, photographs and cartoons that did not show any overt political leaning to a political party and general political critiques, were placed in a category called OTHER ELECTION RELATED. 8. News items, articles, editorials, photographs on campaigns relating to social issues including pickets and demonstrations which could have an impact on election were included in the category called SOCIAL ISSUES. 9. Percentages are given taking the Total Election Coverage in given newspaper as 100. Monitoring Presidential Election Coverage Nov. 2005 – Report No. 3 1 Media Unit, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Summary- State Media Dailies: Dinamina (Sinhala language) Thinakaran (Tamil Language), Daily News (English language); Weeklies: Silumina (Sinhala language) Thinakaran Vaaramanjaree Tamil language), Sunday Observe r(English Language) o 2he three state owned dailies - Dinamina, Thinakaran and Daily News had the lowest Unfavorable coverage of total election coverage on Mahinda Rajapakse, respectively 1.65%, 00.14% and 1.33%. o The same newspapers had the highest Favorable coverage given to any candidate by same language daily news paper, in these instances to Mahinda Rajapakse - Dinamina (51.01%), Thinakaran (66.64%) and Daily News (41.19) o The three state dailies had the highest Unfavorable coverage of the Ranil Wickramasinghe of except daily Divaina (11.04%). Dinamina had 27.70%. Thinkaran had 10.37% and Daily News had 6.48%. Their Favorable coverage of Ranil Wickramasinghe was 09.07%, 4.75% and 09.72% respectively. o The state owned dailies and weeklies had 32 front page Lead stories and 11 Editorials in favor of Mahinda Rajapakse, while 24 Editorials and 04 front page Lead stories were Unfavorable to Ranil Wickramasinghe. o The three state owned weeklies œ Silumina, Thinakarana Vaaramanjaree and Sunday Observer had the highest favorable coverage given to any candidate by weekly newspapers to Mahinda Rajapakse, Silumina (47.63%), Thinakaran Vaaramanjari (50.14%) and Sunday Observer (27.36%). o The Daily News had the highest coverage (6.18%) in support of Free and Fair elections. o 6 editorials and 9 lead stories in state print media were favorable to Free and fair election and Election official respectively. Monitoring Presidential Election Coverage Nov. 2005 – Report No. 3 2 Media Unit, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Non-state media Monitored Newspapers: Wijaya Group - Lankadeepa, Iridada Lankadeepa (Sinhala), Daily Mirror, The Sunday Times (English); Upali Group - Divaina, Irida Divaina, DIvamina (Sinhala), The Island, The Sunday Island (English); Sumathi Group - Lakbima, Irida Lakbima (Sinhala); Ravaya Publications œ Ravaya (Sinhala); Lanka Multi Publishers œ Lanka (Sinhala); Leader Publications - The Sunday Leader (English weekly) Irudina (Sinhala weekly) The Morning Leader (Mid week) Thinakural Publications - Thinakkural, Gnairy Thinakkural (Tamil); Express Newspapers - Virakesari, Virakesari Vaaraveledu (Tamil); Udayan Publications œ Sudaroli, Sunday Sudaroli (Tamil); o Five none state mainstream newspapers, Irida LankaDeepa, Irida Divaina, Irida Lakbima. Divamina and Divaina had altogether more favorable coverage to Mahinda Rajapakse. o Leader Publications had highest unfavorable coverage to Mahinda Rajapakse (80%) by given any publisher to any candidate. Some of the unfavorable coverage was on corruptions issues. 12% was Favorable to the Ranil Wickramasinghe, while 08% favorable to Mahinda Rajapakse in same publisher. o IRUDINA had highest coverage on any category having 74.63% unfavorable coverage to Mahinada Rajapakse, while Lanka was close second having 59.89% unfavorable to Ranil Wickramasinghe. o Coverage of other candidates was minimal in genera and nearly non existent in state owned media. Sunday Lakbima had the highest Favorable coverage on other candidates (10.57% ). o All none state Tamil newspapers had altogether favorable coverage to Ranil Wickramasinghe than Mahinda Rajapakse. o Except Sunday Sudaroli, Lanka and Thinakaran Vaaramanjari all newspapers monitored had covered Election commissioner / election dept. Lakbima Irida Sangrahaya was the highest amount of reporting election commissioner/ dept. (8.48%) Monitoring Presidential Election Coverage Nov. 2005 – Report No. 3 3 Media Unit, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) o 2here was Coverage on election violence in 07 weeklies and was minimal in all other newspapers, a marked difference from previous elections. o The daily Lakbima made almost balance favorable coverage to Mahinda Rajapakse (28.42%) and Ranil Wickramasinghe (28.05%). o The Sunday Sudar Oli had the highest unfavorable coverage to any candidate in Tamil newspapers to Mahinda Rajapakse (40.03%). o Non state daily newspapers had 16 editorials œ Lankadeepa 03, Daily Mirror 03, Divaina 02, The Island 02, Lakbima 04, Thinakkural 1 and Virakesari 1 on free and fair elections. o Sunday Sudar Oli and Gnairu Thinakkural had the highest coverage of Election and Peace process, respectively 15.94% and 15.00%. Monitoring Presidential Election Coverage Nov. 2005 – Report No. 3 4 Media Unit, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Total area used for Election-related News, Features, Editorials, Cartoons & Photos in Daily Newspapers 08th October to 07th November Mahinda Ranil Other Candidates Voter Election Newspaper LTTE F UF F UF F UF Issues Official Sq.cm 139671.00 4516.75 24843.75 75839.00 770.75 76.00 1364.75 1299.50 3713.50 Dinamina % 51.01 1.65 9.07 27.70 0.28 0.03 0.50 0.47 1.36 Sq.cm 72729.00 156.50 5180.25 11316.13 97.75 172.00 243.25 2579.75 5948.25 Thinakaran % 66.64 0.14 4.75 10.37 0.09 0.16 0.22 2.36 5.45 Sq.cm 43861.50 1417.75 10349.75 6901.75 942.25 0.00 510.00 1532.75 2272.25 Daily News % 41.19 1.33 9.72 6.48 0.88 0.00 0.48 1.44 2.13 Sq.cm 55272.75 33806.00 53260.25 7710.75 683.50 0.00 4301.50 2124.25 12614.50 Lankadeepa % 25.16 15.39 24.25 3.51 0.31 0.00 1.96 0.97 5.74 Sq.cm 14679.25 16481.75 24575.75 3020.25 868.25 78.75 1220.25 845.50 2752.25 Daily Mirror % 10.93 12.28 18.31 2.25 0.65 0.06 0.91 0.63 2.05 Sq.cm 52115.00 13923.50 44891.50 19803.50 1697.00 0.00 4144.25 749.50 7706.75 Divaina % 29.04 7.76 25.02 11.04 0.95 0.00 2.31 0.42 4.29 Sq.cm 12927.50 7119.75 13836.00 4112.00 2049.50 0.00 255.50 2906.75 4500.25 The Island % 13.10 7.21 14.02 4.17 2.08 0.00 0.26 2.95 4.56 Sq.cm 62455.50 20854.25 61636.75 11290.75 6771.50 143.50 2056.25 816.00 8388.00 Lakbima % 28.42 9.49 28.05 5.14 3.08 0.07 0.94 0.37 3.82 Sq.cm 26318.75 11933.25 39247.75 4821.75 2173.25 169.00 2833.25 1456.00 7236.25 Thinakkural % 20.35 9.23 30.35 3.73 1.68 0.13 2.19 1.13 5.60 Sq.cm 25364.25 12644.50 60334.50 4832.00 2242.25 0.00 1062.00 3583.00 8039.00 Virakesari % 17.46 8.70 41.53 3.33 1.54 0.00 0.73 2.47 5.53 Sq.cm 21300.75 21271.25 47437.25 3584.50 2732.00 94.50 3816.50 1230.00 6074.25 Sudar Oli % 13.94 13.92 31.04 2.35 1.79 0.06 2.50 0.80 3.97 Monitoring Presidential Election Coverage Nov. 2005 – Report No. 3 5 Media Unit, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Total area used for Election-related News, Features, Editorials, Cartoons & Photos in Daily Newspapers 08th October to 07th November Other Election Free & Social NEWSPAPER Election Developments Total Violence Fair Issues Election Related Election & Peace Process Sq.cm 1059.75 3331.25 10041.25 4698.00 2228.50 345.00 273798.75 Dinamina % 0.39 1.22 3.67 1.72 0.81 0.13 100.00 Sq.cm 1056.75 2178.25 6116.25 807.00 0.00 560.00 109141.13 Thinakaran % 0.97 2.00 5.60 0.74 0.00 0.51 100.00 Sq.cm 607.75 6582.00 25836.25 1932.50 207.50 3528.25 106482.25 Daily News % 0.57 6.18 24.26 1.81 0.19 3.31 100.00 Sq.cm 6909.00 5106.75 32904.75 603.00 2987.00 1373.00 219657.00 Lankadeepa % 3.15 2.32 14.98 0.27 1.36 0.63 100.00 Sq.cm 1853.00 5964.50 44820.75 568.00 2692.00 13822.00 134242.25 Daily Mirror % 1.38 4.44 33.39 0.42 2.01 10.30 100.00 Sq.cm 2869.25 7884.25 18431.25 1210.25 2504.25 1528.00 179458.25 Divaina % 1.60 4.39 10.27 0.67 1.40 0.85 100.00 Sq.cm 1970.75 2972.00 34412.75 2860.00 3486.70 5273.25 98682.70 The Island % 2.00 3.01 34.87 2.90 3.53 5.34 100.00 Sq.cm 3573.50 3907.00 31354.25 2081.25 3530.00 896.00 219754.50 Lakbima % 1.63 1.78 14.27 0.95 1.61 0.41 100.00 Sq.cm 1392.00 5495.75 21339.00 967.00 330.50 3608.00 129321.50 Thinakkural % 1.08 4.25 16.50 0.75 0.26 2.79 100.00 Sq.cm 721.25 4379.00 19221.00 1015.25 0.00 1831.50 145269.50 Virakesari % 0.50 3.01 13.23 0.70 0.00 1.26 100.00 Sq.cm 2111.25 2832.00 33496.75 0.00 189.00 6669.00 152839.00 Sudar Oli % 1.38 1.85 21.92 0.00 0.12 4.36 100.00 Monitoring Presidential Election Coverage Nov.