Elections are the key to a democratic Guinea, and the media is a key to successful elections. This is the thinking behind the “Elections and the Media” conference held in Conakry June 9-10. Sponsored by USAID through its partners IFES and Search for Common Ground, the gathering brought together 90 leading actors from the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI), the government of Guinea, radio and printed press, political parties, and NGOs. While a precise election timetable has yet to be announced, those involved in elections preparation are already working out the role the media will play in educating voters about the electoral process and monitoring the conduct of the elections.The main objectives of the conference were to ensure effective election coverage, clarify regulations governing broadcasting during the actual elections, and promote rural radio broadcasts of election information to remote areas. Rural radio broadcasts will be critical in passing information to Guinea’s rural population with its high rate of illiteracy. With most private and government radio stations concentrated in the capital and key provincial capitals, USAID is working with Search for Common Ground to launch civic education campaigns that will reach remote areas.

As elections get underway, the aim of the initiative is to deploy trained reporters across the country to monitor and report on voting results. This information will be relayed from the local radio to four radio transmitters in the region and from there to Conakry. The conference strongly stressed the need for all media to be responsible and impartial in their reporting and allotment of airtime or print space to political parties. They should encourage people to vote and provide electoral information. Conference organizers urged the media to steer away from partisan reporting, or calls to violate human rights. According to conference organizers, “Their contribution should be to ensure a harmonious electoral process.”