BBC, CNN accused of manufacturing bad news in Africa

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Wednesday April 17, 2013 00:00

A conference of journalists in Pretoria last week heard that CNN and BBC stage-managed 'violence' in Kenya and Zimbabwe this year in a bid to prove that Africa cannot hold peaceful elections. First to make the accusation was a senior political reporter at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Mahlatse Gallens who said BBC stage-managed events during the recent constitutional referendum in Zimbabwe in a bid to report negative news about Africa.  She said she was among journalists covering the referendum and she was shocked to watch a footage on BBC claiming that it was marred with violence. 'We later learned that upon realising that there was no violence, the BBC reporters covering the referendum went to Mbare, a location in Harare, with a supporter of the Movement for Democratic Change. Upon reaching the place, the MDC supporter started distributing placards and making political statements with the intention to provoke rival supporters. That's when the purported violence ensued and BBC filmed it,' she said.

She added that immediately after the stage-managed event, the BBC reporters flew out of the country with the 'scoop'.  Gallens has covered elections in several African countries among them the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Kenya, but she said the western media often blow out of proportion, any form of violence.She was supported by Kipkoech Tanui, managing editor of Standard newspapers in Kenya who stated that CNN is guilty of manufacturing news of violence ahead of his country's general elections in March. He said the Kenyan government responded with caution that might make it difficult for foreign journalists to work in the country as accreditation requirements might be tightened.

He admitted that the Kenyan media had to exercise precaution during the elections, even engaging in self- censorship to allow for the smooth running of the exercise. In one instance, he said, two police officers were found dead in the morning of the elections, but there was a news blackout on the deaths until late in the day, for fear of alarming the voters.

Vice chairperson of the South African Independent Electoral Commission, Terry Tselane informed the gathering that they are working day and night to make sure that elections were free and fair in the country. He said the process starts with voter registration, which they have made convenient, as well as a voters' roll that should be credible. 'The credibility of elections begins with the credibility of a voters' roll. Once people have doubts on the voters' roll, then they will definitely doubt the credibility of elections and they are likely to reject the outcome,' he said.  Tselane stated that they are working with the African Union (AU) to formulate a uniform electoral system to be adopted by member states. He added that a new Association of World Election Management Bodies (AWEMB) will be launched next year to bring together all electoral bodies across the globe.

He cautioned that the use of electronic voting technology should be researched before it can be implemented as it has proven cumbersome for African countries. He stated that in some cases, transmitted election results have to first go to Europe, where the sale agents for the machinery are, before they can be released to the electoral body of the respective country. This, he said has potential to destabilise African countries during election time.

Other issues that were discussed at the conference were the equitable distribution of slots in a public broadcaster for all political players, as opposed to the ruling party enjoying more airplay than others, and the funding of political parties.