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EOS EOS

Election Obligations & Standards Database

Summary

Equality refers not only to the amount of space provided but to the timing and location of such space.


Obligations

  • Freedom from Discrimination and Equality Before the Law

Election Parts

  • The Media

Issues

  • Freedom From Discrimination and the Media
  • Free Airtime and Paid Advertising

Criteria

  • Political parties and candidates had access to the public media on a nondiscriminatory basis
  • The regulation of the media promoted equality and absence of discrimination
  • Free airtime was distributed equally (amount of space and also the timing and location of the media space)

Quotes

  • All publicly-owned media, including public service broadcasters, should be under the following obligations during an election period: To grant all parties and candidates equitable access to the media to communicate their messages directly with the public, either for free or at subsidised rates. Equitable access means fair and non-discriminatory access allocated according to objective criteria for measuring overall levels of support, and includes factors such as timing of access and any fees.
  • Fair media access implies not only equality of time and space allotted, but also attention to the hour of broadcasting (i.e. prime-time versus late broadcasting) and the placement of printed advertisements (i.e. front page versus back page).
EOS EOS

Election Obligations & Standards Database

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