Media and the Egyptian Presidential and Parliamentary Elections

CIHRS monitored Egyptian media’s coverage of the Presidential and Legislative Election held in 2005. In implementing this initiative, the CIHRS adhered to all internationally recognized standards on the role of media in elections, asserting the necessity to avoid monopoly and/or control of mass media by one party and the use of mass media to exclude some parties. These standards also include the necessity to adhere to objectivity and neutrality, which requires presenting the readers with multiple ideas and platforms to enable them to take informed decisions.
During media monitoring process, CIHRS adopted an approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. In developing this approach, CIHRS made use of the wide experience of international organizations specialized in monitoring media performance, especially during elections. International Media Support (IMS), Denmark and MEMEO 1998, Slovakia, come on top of these organizations. They contributed to developing, implementing and testing this approach in many countries such as Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Latin America, and also in Arab countries like Tunisia, Palestine and Lebanon. IMS has provided CIHRS with valuable assistance to undertake this initiative. In addition, CIHRS invited a group of Arab experts from Tunisia, Palestine and Bahrain to monitor the process and share experiences in order to have the initiative implemented in other Arab countries.
CIHRS issued interim reports on the monitoring process in addition to final reports to issued after the conclusion of the presidential and parliamentary elections including an overall evaluation of media performance in elections and an analysis of the political and legislative environment in which the Egyptian media works.