Memoire Online - Critical analysis of the Democratic Republic of Congo national tv coverage of the 2011 elections. Case study of Kinshasa city

The journalist is accountable programs and discussions between the parties or candidates so that voters can compare their position. But the professional reporting of a campaign should never tell voters what the best choice is. The journalist must leave this task to the editorialists and commentators.

The commentary and editorial include obvious marks of subjectivity, in which a reporter (often a pen recognized by the profession or the public) offers an analysis or interpretation of the facts which commits only him or his media. Its function is more to report the facts even though he remains subject to the standards of accuracy and responsibility but to propose a reading, sometimes oriented politically.

Any journalist is subject to a duty to search for objectivity. It can ask questions, present the different points of view and add background information and elements of context. It must always do so in a constant concern for balance and neutrality. This implies that it deals with all parties and candidates in a fair, impartial and neutral.

For example, if the construction of new roads is an issue raised during the campaign and he decides to devote a story, it must mention the proposals of all the main parties or candidates in this area. Impartiality can be done by a search of equal volume given to candidates on campaign subjects or themes in which every opinion is complemented by others.

Example 1: If the journalist makes the report a gathers - ment during which a party has presented the outline of his pro-gram, it shall mention the reactions of its main competitors, as soon as they are formulated.

Example 2: If a candidate brings an accusation against another candidate and journalist decides to use this information, should contact the referred party and include his reaction in his report. If it refuses to any statement, it should mention it.

The journalist must refrain from leave reflected directly or indirectly its opinions, as much in its reports in its behavior.

Extracts of remarks made by leaders of parties and candidates must be reproduced fully in respecting the context in which they were spoken. If the journalist is not sure of him, it must contact the person for clarification.

· When a translation is necessary (the candidate expressed himself in a local language), you have to be extremely rigorous and careful to not to alter the meaning of the words.

· Information should never be used to make the apology of a party or candidate.

· The tone of the articles must be neutral. Describe what distinguishes parties from each other, but without judgment in any form whatsoever.

· Information should never be used to present a personal point of view. The journalist has a duty to reserve on the themes he reports the facts. Its opinion on the subject should not be a part of history or be mentioned in the report.

· Never carry publicly clothing, badges, stickers or any other medium conveying acronyms and slogans of a party or a candidate.

· Refrain from expressing any opinion on a party or candidate during a rally, a survey or an interview.

Not to express his political views in private, preferably in the most intimate social circle.

Objectivity and honesty the journalist is a citizen whose personality and consciousness have been forged by its past, its culture, its beliefs and upbringing. However, it must demonstrate objectivity in its technical approach and its professional practice. And absence be totally objective, it must strive to be honest and rigorous.

· Journalist, in the collection, processing and dissemination of information, must act with the greatest possible objectivity. It must refuse any subjectivism compared treatments journalistic of the different candidates and parties.

· The editorial style, layout, and in particular the choice of photos should not be unfair or biased, which could favor one candidate rather than another.

· Extracts of remarks, shooting angles, alignment, and the conditions of release must be objectively, or any the less honest.

· The journalist must, in all circumstances, and regardless of his own personal beliefs, acting in his soul and conscience with honesty.

The citizens expect from the media that therein accurate and precise facts. To do this, the journalist must keep its editorial independence and resist the pressures political, social or financial likely to influence its rigor in the treatment of the information. It accepts other directives than those responsible for its drafting, its moral or her personal ethics when working alone.

During an election period, the independence of the journalist may be threatened in many ways: example 1: the owner of a media is close to a certain candidate and request to journalists that he uses this candidate-friendly coverage.

Example 2: the Government calls a public media journalist's coverage favorable to the ruling party.

Example 3: a journalist working for a private media is subject to pressures from the authorities for a highly critical inquiry into the Government.

Journalist must resist as much as possible to these pressures by invoking both his right to exercise his profession "in good conscience" as his duty to truth and objectivity to the citizens. If necessary, he can turn to the associations of national or international journalists with one of the main responsibilities of this independence.

The journalist must also know to stay independent of parties and candidates in the election. Of course, it is important that he is close to them. This will help him to better identify their personality and to understand their program.

But too much collusion can put it in a legal dependency ratio. Politicians can be clever and seductive. They can sometimes treat the journalist in "friend" but it should be borne in mind that the reporter is, ultimately, what a way to use to relay their message and their image favorably in the opinion. We must therefore avoid any report of "cronyism" and strictly professional reporting. That is why journalist must:

· Never accept any money, or gift of neither value, nor privilege to influence his judgment, placing it in a conflict of interest or undermine its credibility.

· Do not perceive any benefit whatsoever for the publication or non-publication of information. For example, the journalist becomes complicit in electoral cheating if he denounces not proven cases committed by a party in Exchange for a favor.

It is common that political parties propose journalists to carry them on their gathering places where they their also provide drinks and food. It should be not to accept these offers if they are open to all. Best is, resources permitting, to travel alone or to share with fellow transportation costs. Similarly, it is the medium that employs the journalist who must cover the costs of accommodation and meals when reporting. The transport arranged by a party is acceptable only under strict conditions:

· The main parties should be used. If a single practice, for example, because he is the one to have the financial means, should reject the offer.

· It should never be alone to benefit from. All media, all sensitivities, must have been invited under the same conditions. It is necessary to consult his colleagues to be sure that a large number of them will be present. If not, should reject the offer.

· The party or candidate must demand nothing in return. The journalist, and alone, to decide whether to do a story on the event or gathering to which it has been conveyed. He also is the one to decide the angle and the contents of his report.^17(*)

Whatever the status of its media, the journalist must refuse categorically any financial proposal of a candidate or a party political.

One of the solutions can be expected in the general budget of the independent electoral commissions a chapter concerning transport of the news teams for media that cannot sup - wear their teams travel costs. Instances regulation, along with the media and candidates touring programs, can then support the movement.

· The journalist agrees not to use unfair means to get information (example: record an interview of a candidate without his permission).

· The journalist shall not pay or does not receive money in Exchange for information.

· Journalist informed those unfamiliar with the press that their words may be disseminated, and thus brought to the attention of a wide audience.

· The journalist shall refrain from any plagiarism and quote the confreres which it resumed information.

· Journalist sign photos illustrating article, or clearly refers to their source.

Freedom of the press cannot be exercised without liability. The role of the journalist, who is first a citizen, perhaps, to preserve its information capacity, to appease the political and institutional crises acute or conflicts. The journalist is not one citizen like any other in the sense that his word is expected and heard.

The journalist must always be aware of the consequences, positive or negative, of information it disseminates. This implies that it uses in all circumstances, and regardless of the news it covers forms of languages (words and your) the more neutral and more sober as possible.

This also implies that he always deals with weighting and essential rigor, topics likely to feed tensions within the population or cause, to some people, some communities or groups, attitudes of rejection or stigma. As such, the journalist must:

· Respect the dignity of the human person and the presumption of innocence. It ensures not to put into question, without credible and verified information, the reputation and honor of others.

· Respect the privacy and personal data and broadcast information in this area only if they are necessary to the understanding of an event or situation of public life.

· Refuse to feed and to amplify a rumor, even if other media already are the echo.

· To refrain from any speech or incitement to hatred, violence, destruction, theft, intolerance, racism, the xenophobia and prejudice.

Journalists do not comply with these rules may be subject to judicial sanctions. In the most serious cases, such as that of free radio television des Mille Collines in Rwanda, a radio chain that has advocated genocide, journalists were found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced by an international tribunal.

Often, during an election campaign, parties and candidates to use against the other virulent language and sometimes even insulting. The spread of rumors and inaccurate allegations is a process that is also commonly used to weaken his political opponents.

Journalist doesn't often have any other choice but to broadcast because they are elements of the campaign that can help voters understand the personality of the candidates. The journalist cannot be held responsible for hateful or defamatory statements issued by politicians he resumed and cited in his reporting.

· Transcribe the words ("Word for word") accurately and clearly assign it to its author.

· Not make any judgment, neither positive nor negative, as much on the words men - even on the response of the person. However, the journalist may involve independent personalities and/or organizations for the defense of human rights to highlight the risk posed to the community of politicians using hateful, abusive or defamatory language.

NB: However, the sense of social responsibility command that the journalist takes into account all the parameters of the context in which it is located. So in extremely explosive socio-political situations, if the relay hate may incur unduly serious dangers to individuals, communities or the Nation, it can, in an ethical option, refrain from amplify such remarks.

However, it can, in other forms of practices such as editorials or comments, while taking to witness national opinion, draw the attention of the players political and citizens about the dangers threatening social peace and social and national divisions-generating derivatives violent.

The journalist must empower citizens to understand the electoral issues. To do this, he must present all parties and candidates by providing information on their programs (past and present) and their activities during the election campaign. The journalist must also seek other sources of information for not only those of the parties depend on.^18(*)

Aware of the power of the media on the voters, they often seek to influence through communication plans designed to restrict critical journalists and allow a favorable of their messages and broad distribution. News releases, press conferences and opinion polls are sources of information that must be handled with prudence and discernment.

Being competent in electoral period cannot be improvised and requires good preparation. Need to learn about the candidates well before the start of the official campaign to be ready, when the time comes, ask relevant questions. They will truly only if they reflect the concerns of voters.

The role of the journalist is therefore also to publicize the problems citizens are confronted on a daily basis so that applicants are interested and propose concrete solutions to solve. The journalist must go every day on the ground but some land imposed to take special care in its approach to handling information that for his own safety. This is especially true when the election takes place in a country at war or fragile.

Media coverage of election campaigns should be carried out before the start of the official campaign. The journalist is a vital link as it will on the ground, covers public meetings, meeting candidates, and takes the pulse of opinion and reports. His work also depends on its media managers who have to design a program schedule and organization of drafting specific and adapted to the electoral period.

To deal with the difficulty to follow only several candidates during an election campaign, it is advisable, if the drafting includes several journalists, to apportion their tasks. The preparation of a coverage plan is a real work team which mobilizes many human ways photographers, cameramen, takers of sound, editors, graphic editors - and material. The journalist must indeed share its best practices with colleagues.

· The Director of a radio or TV programs should develop specific program: adversarial debate between candidates, round table including candidates and a panel of experts or interactive programs allowing different candidates to present their ideas and answering the questions of the citizens live.

· In a body of written press, the Director of publication must de - complete the location and the number of pages reserved for the stands of free expression ('pages views') of the candidates, readers, experts or journalists themselves (editorials and commentaries).

· Writing conferences are essential during the election period. This space of Exchange and decision-making consisting of as many sensitivities as journalists, to maintain pluralism necessary to complete and balanced coverage throughout the campaign.

· It is recommended to hold a conference of special preparation before the start of the campaign to set the array of edge of the cover.

The goal is to ensure complementarity and cohesion of the work of any drafting. Who will be in charge of what? For example, a reporter can be assigned to cover a region or a specific theme. Writing can also affect a journalist to cover a single party or candidate. But in this case, it must do so for each of the main parties and candidates for the sake of balance and impartiality.

· All media do not have the same resources. When the numbers are reduced, each must be versatile. But the consultation and dialogue are essential and must be daily.

· Gather a maximum of information on parties and candidates: structures, operation, sources of financing, geographical location, political weight national and/or local, current alliances the and passed key campaign themes, results in previous polls, etc.

· Identify and establish privileged relations with the spokesperson of each party or a person occupying an important function in the organization chart or the organization of their campaign.

· The objective is to be able to contact them to quickly get information (example: date, time and place of a public meeting), to arrange an interview with a candidate or to get reactions to hot on a particular event of the campaign.

· A list of the major issues of the campaign and the issues that voters want to see treated by candidates and parties.

· Establish a list of experts to consult to have comments on the campaign. If you are a journalist in a national media, build up a network of local informants.

· Check the validity of his press card and learn about the accreditation or mission orders that eventually will be required to cover the campaign.

· Check with the regulatory body that on any specific rules to be applied by the media during the election period.

Parties and candidates know that voters tend to believe what they see and hear in the media. They therefore seek to influence the journalists in order to receive a favorable media treatment.

Their most common communication tool is release. Sent directly to editors or distributed at a press conference, he is drafted with the type of phrases that media need: short and percussive sentences that summarize the essence of the message and which are likely to be taken up fully. The goal is to reduce the possibilities of criticism and contradictions and thus limit the investigative journalists work.

With the advent of television, in as long as main mass media, candidates have also more and more often use political marketing techniques that teach them to play of seduction, to control their movements, to treat their appearance and fabric events intended to soften the voters instead to present in detail the content of their program.

· Not just resume the information provided by a party or candidate but trying to explain the issues.

· Do not transcribe, even paraphrasing them, news and programs. Compare them with what the candidates did responsibilities and the positions they have already occupied or with the commitments they have made during previous campaigns. Involve experts to assess the adequacy of their proposals to the needs of the country or of the community and to highlight any contradictions and conflicts of interest.

· Always put quotation marks and/or always attributed to their authors used a press release or a press conference phrases.^19(*)

· Be proactive during press conferences. Not just to listen. Ask for explanations, clarifications, examples, figures, justification.

· Do not rely on the statistics provided by a party on the number of people who participated in a rally. Compare them with other sources: journalists, the inhabitants of the district, security forces or any other person present on the premises.

· Learn to recognize the events produced by the candidates to get into value. Attentive to the attitude of the people - must be present during a visit of a candidate in a school, a hospital or a company. His speech provoked reactions? Were always positive? Visited people asked questions? They appeared to be spontaneous? Should remain on the premises after the departure of the candidate to try to learn more.

· Check that the message conveyed well matches the beliefs of the candidate. For example, if a candidate goes into a school to say that it has always considered education as a priority, look if it has already been on the initiative of projects in this area.

· Clearly distinguish the official activities of officials - mental activities as a candidate or a party member.

During an election period, parties and candidates are still trying to impose their agenda on media to highlight the strong points of their program and ignore the aspects that are less. A campaign can thus Miss issues the most important faced by a country. The journalist must therefore identify and publicize these problems to force parties and candidates to discuss and explain to voters the solutions that they rely to make.

The use of experts, academics and civil society officials can help the journalist to identify the major issues which should be addressed during the campaign in all areas: economy, governance, planning, health, education, justice, foreign policy, human rights, etc.

But the journalist must also, and above all, interested in the lives of the citizens to know, understand and relay their concerns. Some press organs as well realize thematic surveys, indicating the issues that are most interested the electorate. Others have panels involving citizens, district heads and associative leaders - to better target the needs of individuals and communities. One of the simplest ways still to go into the field to meet the population.

Different techniques allow the journalist to place the concerns of the citizens at the heart of the election debate:

· Telling individual stories to illustrate the importance and magnitude of the major issues of the campaign or to focus on the consequences of the solutions proposed by each candidate. In addition, the journalist increases its chances of attracting the attention of parties on a theme that has not yet been addressed during the campaign if he knows "humanize it" the story alive and detailed the problems posed to a person or a community.

· Make reports on the themes that citizens report themselves and they are facing on a daily basis: load shedding of electricity, access to drinking water, bad roads, increase of the fuel prices, lack of teachers in schools, lack of hospitals in a region, etc. It is through the stories of the journalist that these problems have a chance to be better taken into account by the parties and candidates.

· Make every effort. Whether or not the journalist is reporting, it is always useful to interview the people he meets on what is happening in the streets, bars, cafes, markets, office, Garden, family, etc., which are public spaces discussing vital citizens problems. A conversation heard for example in a grocery store or a mail queue, can help the reporter to take the pulse of opinion and be the starting point of a story.

· Also give the floor to the representatives of minorities, trade unions, and professional groups, associations of women or human rights. They represent collective interests which the views and claims must be relayed by the media.

The interview of candidates or party leaders is a key moment of the coverage of the electoral campaign. It allows the journalist to go in detail programs and better identify the personalities. In between - views of a politician is a difficult art which requires a sense of human relationships, a strong capacity for discernment and good preparation. Being well informed and prepared allows the journalist to ask relevant questions and to stay much focused during the interview.

· Gather large number of possible information about the person encountered. Do some research on his route? Hence - it? She said, written or done before? What are its sources of funding? How is it perceived by the community? What do think of it his friends and his political opponents?

· Prepare a list of questions with the order of the topics and the approximate time to devote to each. It is possible of be in de - stain during maintenance to bounce on a discourse of the interview but it is safer to have a canvas of questions ready.

· Prioritizing its questions in descending order of interest. If the time of the interview is shorter than initially expected, essentially will be so touched.

· Prepare brief, simple and targeted questions. If a question is too long, too complicated and too general, a skillful politician will easily take control of the interview and will respond only to a part (the one that fixes it) of the item.

· What concrete measures will be taken to solve the country's problems? What measures will be applied as a priority? With what means? What the party or candidate different from others? In the event of victory, political alliances will be concluded? If so, with whom and why?

· If there is an elected outgoing and/or belonging to the majority party, ask it on its balance sheet and/or pro-masses not held by his party.^20(*)

· For a candidate in a local election, the questionnaire should take into account the specific problems of the communities of the regions affected by the elections.

· Establish its questions on the basis of the concerns expressed by the citizens during the reporting for specific answers to concrete problems.

· Requested permission to record the maintenance with a wizard or single. If the interlocutor has reservations, explain that this keeps a faithful reproduction of his words (and thus not to distort his words). The recording you can also focus on the responses of the interlocutor and think at the same time at the turn of the maintenance.

· If the interview is not registered, the journalist cannot rely on his memory and his notes. It is therefore important to quickly write the major elements. To do this, it is best to use abbreviations and re-read his notes immediately after the interview.

· Alternate issues open wide field (inducing detailed answers and explanations), semi-open questions (requiring short and precise responses) and closed-ended questions which cannot be answered by an affirmation or negation.

· Pose additional questions or the same questions in other forms for more information. Request for clarification and examples.

· Being very attentive to responses. Should be able to resume a word or an idea to fly to evolve maintenance with spontaneous questions.

· The journalist is in principle that directs the interview. It must never lose control. A smart politician can initiate a start to answering a question and then ask another question to which there want to respond. Example: "Yes, actually... but there is a question to which it seems to me important to answer...". ». We have to let it finish or interrupt politely if he talks too much, then rest his question until you get a real answer.

· Being opinionated but remain courteous and polite regardless of the attitude of the interlocutor. Also be aware of his physical attitude, it can have an impact on the conduct of the interview. How the journalist is positioned relative to the caller (the ideal is to be facing him)?

· The problem does not arise if the interview is published or broadcast in its entirety. It arises however if the journalist published or only brings that excerpts, it's actually a guided interview or if it uses some elements of the interview to feed a story.

In these cases, the journalist must, when rewriting or editing, make a selection reflecting as faithfully as possible the comments made during the interview. If in doubt, do not hesitate to contact the person for him ask clarifications and details.

· If the interview is used to write an article, the journalist must get down to work immediately after the talks, bringing together ideas and drafting a plan or a draft of article. The notes taken during the interview will be used also to complete the registration (if it exists), to raise or check a citation.

There are two types of opinion polls in election period: the thematic surveys, which measure the aspirations of citizens on election issues, and popularity polls, which indicate voting intentions. Parties and candidates can order themselves to measure the impact of their campaign; put their program or their image in line with the wishes of the voters.^21(*)

Polls are a source of information to not be disregarded but they must be approached with caution. It is essential that the journalist studied closely before deciding to use them. Indeed, polls are of very uneven quality and some can be funded and designed to manipulate opinion and the media.

Polls have limited informational value because they are based on the study of a sample found 'representative '. However this technique poses difficulties in some areas such as the rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa where language and illiteracy can act as a barrier for pollsters.

Polls can influence, and even distort the democratic game: doubts are regularly expressed about the impact that a survey can have on the electoral behavior: the effect of 'follow-my-leader' (vote for the candidate at the top) to the effect of "revolt" (vote for the loser announced candidate), everything is possible.

A survey can be used for illegitimate purposes at the expense of democracy. This risk is particularly high in the countries in democratic transition where the practice of polls is rarely regulated by a legal framework. Unscrupulous institutes can use a biased methodology (limited sampling regions, questions to obtain certain types of responses, etc.) for carrying out surveys with results consistent with the interests of their client. Examples:

· A political party in power will order a survey measure to show that the population is satisfied with its Government balance sheet.

· A candidate at the presidential election is going to order an aggressive survey to damage the image of his opponents.

· A private interest group commands a thematic survey to impose on parties and candidates a certain economic program.

· An opposition party denouncing electoral fraud controls a survey to demonstrate that he had won the elections.

· Have only resorted to polls institutes working according to strict and transparent procedures.

· What were the questions asked? Are the results based on the answers or some only?

· Information to indicate when a survey is brought to the attention of the public

· The name of the political party, the organization or the person who commissioned the survey. The name of the organization conducting the survey.

It happens in open crisis countries organize elections. If there is a conflict between Government forces in rebellion movements, there are generally three cases:

· The opposition movement wants to overthrow the Government in place and calls the entire population of the country did not participate in the poll so that the Government that he fought is not legitimized by the ballot box.

· The movement seeks independence or autonomy from a part of the territory and asked the inhabitants of this region to boycott the election to support his cause.

· Government forces and opposition forces signed a ceasefire but they have conditioned the signing of a final peace agreement for the conduct of a free and fair election on the

whole of the territory or part of the territory which is the cause of the conflict.

Media coverage of an election taking place in these contexts is a very complex exercise and has many dangers for the journalist. This means that it is particularly rigorous in the application of the standards of professional ethics (accuracy, impartiality, responsibility, etc.) and that it meets a number of safety rules when it is reporting on the ground.

· Be extremely careful in processing information and sources because the risk of manipulation is very high: the 'art of disinformation' part of the 'art of war '.

· Observe strict neutrality. Therefore, the journalist can best fulfill its duty and to better ensure its own security.

· Be especially attentive to the balance of his reporting. For example, if a report on the participation of the population in elections in a region where the opposition has asked residents not to vote, can build his narrative on the basis of four testimonies:

· Always carry his pieces of identity, press cards, accreditations, passes and other necessary paperwork.

· Never carry weapons, objects or clothing that might cause confusion (mesh, khaki-colored jacket, leather boots, sister, etc.).

· Never travel alone. Move with colleagues or members of NGOs but not circulate with candidates or politicians.

· Study carefully its route to avoid combat zones and regularly give its location to its editor, a friend or a member of his family.

· When the cover of a political meeting or an important gathering, identify places and identify areas where shelter in case of violence.

· If problems arise, do not run because this increases the risk to be taken for target. Do not cross a confrontation directly from one side to the other.

The media can be a true instrument for consolidating peace and democracy or play a significant role in triggering conflict by fanning, by the rumor and propaganda, the mistrust and hatred between people or communities. It also happens that a less professionalized press derives without realizing it to inappropriate language.

The election campaign is a timing of this kind of misbehavior insofar as political debates can easily swerve in violent verbal jousts. The risks are especially great when the election takes place in countries emerging from conflict where the voting takes place in an atmosphere of tension or latent crisis. A referendum can exacerbate divisions or transpose the grievances of war from the battlefield to the political arena.

Learn and understand the context if the journalist is central in the enlargement and the deepening of democratic processes and peace, its role is crucial in sensitive contexts.

Indeed, the journalist must develop a keen sense of observation, analysis that allows us to understand the complexity of the socio-political situation and electoral ballot issues. It must do everything to avoid feeding the crisis and to instead try to appease him.

Happening, there again, by a very scrupulous respect for the rules of accuracy, verification, impartiality, neutrality and probity in the collection and processing of information. It also implies a specific preparation work and a very good knowledge of the possible tensions that could arise during the electoral process.^22(*)

· What were the players, motivations, and issues of the conflict or crisis? Why, what and who helped to put an end to? If an agreement has been signed, the journalist must know the general structure and the main points.

· In the case of a crisis or a conflict with a component ethnic or community, the journalist must have substantial knowledge of the sociological realities of each community and the way in which each of them has been affected by crisis or conflict.

This documentation is essential because it will allow the journalist to identify the facts and the speeches that can generate new derivatives, and consequently a role monitoring and alert. It can do so, for example, by involving independent personalities and organizations of civil society to remind parties and candidates their commitments and the content of the texts that they eventually signed.

· Reports focus on the major challenges of society out of the issues fuelling the crisis or conflict. This can be the access to drinking water, health, education, etc. The objective is to contribute to restore national cohesion by demonstrating to citizens that they have common problems apart from any ethnic, community or religious affiliation.

· Give voice to citizens through topics and appropriate formats. This can be, for example, on-line discussions and interactive programs in which listeners are invited to speak. Be careful, however, that these free forums become not the «defouloirs» conveying aggressive and inflammatory remarks.

· Be yourself especially attentive to the language used in the reports. The language must be factual, balanced and neutral.

The accuracy of the information is a principle fundamental of professional journalism. Any information in a report must be completely accurate as the names of the candidates, their declarations, the precise numbers and descriptions of people, places and events. Candidates and voters can sometimes become emotional during the election campaign; their words must be reported with a lot of precaution in order to reveal the true content while trying to explain the context without exaggeration of the partial truths.

In this business, every journalist is still trying to be the first to get the information. But what is most important, it is the truth of the latter. Voters declare nothing to journalists if they are likely to have their distorted words or if things are not properly reported.

All journalism codes emphasize the importance of impartiality and objectivity in the profession. To ensure impartiality, the journalist must make balanced reports. To make it balanced, the report must include the views of both sides. For example, when a candidate utters a charge or a promise in his election speech, the professional journalist should introduce the reaction of the other candidates to ensure the objectivity of his report.

To introduce other points of view removes any suspicion of bias or favoritism. However, a balanced reporting must be fair. The report may highlight one candidate instead of another from a current event any because of what it says or does compared to this event.

In other events, it is important to highlight other candidates to ensure balance and fairness. It is true that it is difficult to ensure balance and fairness in every story, but it is an essential principle of professionalism in journalism. There are always at least two points of view for each topic.

Even if he works for a media that displays the support of a political party, the professional journalist will always try to ensure the objectivity and balance of his report. And even if he worked in the public service, it is imperative that its reports introduce information on opposition parties. This is called 'balance '. This balance must be fair as much as possible. Further, private and public media must keep separate opinions and political commentary news.

Many voters don't reveal their views to journalists that they suspect to represent the ideas of a single political party. Voters who are wary of journalists express only the views that the journalist would like to hear without really revealing their opinions.

Impartiality requires that the professional journalist is not affiliated with a group or a political movement. If a journalist is known for his political activism, his reporting will lose their credibility even if they are fair and balanced. The journalist should never take part in an election campaign for that matter and must never offer or receive money or gifts from political parties.

Journalists have enormous responsibilities towards people for which they make their reports and also people who they broadcast these reports. Journalists are obliged to protect their sources when required by the circumstances. People don't reveal any important information as for example corruption policy, if they have reason to fear that their identity is unveiled.

It is imperative that journalists are use only integrated methods to obtain information. Their investigations should follow the international standards of the profession.

The electoral commission could come under pressure from the Government or the parties with powerful interests in the country. Political parties could try everything to win the elections. It is also virtually impossible for the commission to uncover any abuse and average diverted during the election campaign. However, to ensure that the elections are legitimized by the people of the country who vote and the people of the world, they must be necessarily fair and impartial.

For this reason, a reliable press is strictly necessary to deal with corruption and illegal activities in elections. It is indeed the role of the media to report problems, to denounce the violations of the laws and to inform the electorate on the manifestos of the polite - ticks and candidates parties.

The media are at the service neither of the electoral commission nor in the service of political parties. They are there to ensure the smooth running of the elections and to unmask corruption and abuse. The election commission and parties' politics should be aware of the fact that they will be strongly criticized by public opinion if they do not end the violations.^23(*)

Journalists are supposed to know the laws election as, for example, the functioning of the electoral commission and the electoral process.

Furthermore, it must be that media coverage of political parties shall be based on the principles of fairness or justice. Does mean that each party has the right to media coverage, but the scope of coverage should vary from one party to another depending on the importance of the party in previous elections and those which are ongoing.

The number of candidates could be a good criterion to give an idea of the importance of the party. The most important political parties must receive more media coverage. This practice must be conducted by the media as a good example of responsible journalism. The electoral commission, moreover, could require the media to comply with this practice during the election campaign.

The commission could also ask the media to fairly allocate free advertising space for each political party.

The public press must allocate advertising space to all political parties. The press private, however, has a civic responsibility to the citizens. It must provide equitable or fair reports on all the political parties according to the rules defined by the electoral commission. It must also address the election advertising in the same way for all political parties.

Journalists must demonstrate objectivity. Their reports must be accurate, impartial and reliable.

There are many ways to have elections held in poor conditions or become corrupted. The following are very important elements to which the press should pay attention and shall inform voters because its task is to monitor the elections.

Are the rights of voters the names of the eligible citizens all on the list of electors? Are all registered to vote? Can voters listen to and discuss freely issues and election programs of political parties without fear? Parties threaten voters and election officials and they are forcing the voters to vote for certain candidates?

Political parties are trying to buy the votes of the voters with money, gifts or promises of employment? Are voters aware of their role and the importance of the vote? Are they aware of the choices available? Women and minorities feel safe during the vote?

The rights of candidates and political parties the parties and candidates are allowed to stand in the elections? Are candidates representing minorities, various regions and political opinions allowed to stand in the elections? Can political parties hold general meetings without difficulties? The voting rules are applied fairly to all parties?

The police and the army ensure the protection of the parties when they are campaigning, disseminate information or organize meetings? There is powerful interests pouring large sums of money to a particular political party? Are the Parties ready to reveal their sources of funding?

Are the Government officials neutral? They use money or public resources such as for example cars to serve a political party any? The ruling party announces new projects in beginning of election campaign? This is not fair to the opposition parties who cannot use public money in this way.

The electoral process electoral lists are complete? Electors who are not on the lists may - they take part in the voting simply on production of a valid identity document?

Are the ballots easily understood by voters who cannot read? Voters easily understand the voting procedures? Are there enough ballots, of ballot boxes and officials to monitor the procedure of voting and the counting of the votes? Are there enough security measures to protect the ballot box fraud attempts?

Is the electoral commission evidence of impartiality, independence and transparency? Are there international or independent observers who observe elections? What do think of the activities of the electoral commission?

The electoral commission responds quickly to complaints of media, voters and political parties concerning the violations of the electoral code? The commission investigates cases of violation of laws and it is trying to limit? Are those who violate the law punished in one way or another?

Can the media, non-governmental organizations and international observers ensure the observation of the elections and freely make reports without fear? State media covered the activities of candidates and parties in a fair manner? Is media coverage accurate, impartial, reliable and equitable?

Private media newspapers, radio and television provide reliable and equitable coverage on elections? Private media give fair advertising space to all parties?

Political parties generally use their leaders to give a good public image. They want voters to react positively to the public image of the leader. They often rely on specialists to improve public speaking leader, take care of its appearance and its public behavior, for example, how to behave kindly toward people and still maintain its quiet in public. Parties also expose the most photogenic images of the leader in the spaces reserved for the election campaign to attract the attention of voters.

The parties have understood that voters generally tend to believe what they see and hear in the media.

For this reason, the parties create what might be called 'soulful events '. These events are intended to present the leader of the party as a kind person showing it being to visit people in their homes or to embrace children or engage in Walkabouts. Parties organize to press in which conferences the leader presents its programs and electoral promises and attack programs other parties and candidates.

Parties may not wish to see their leader return in a direct debate with other leaders. Political leaders generally prefer giving interviews to newspapers or radio stations and television channels that support their election programs.^24(*)

This manipulation of the media represents a real challenge for journalists. Professional journalists wish leaders pronounce on issues raised by the community, or well they explain to voters the difference between their electoral programs and those of other political parties.

Nevertheless, journalists cannot ignore the press conferences and the 'cutest events' political leaders because other media will broadcast in a way or another. However, it is important that journalists pose questions to political leaders rather than let them spread on subjects that adorn their image.

Nevertheless, journalists must ensure the balance by introducing in their reports the opinions and comments from political leaders and voters on a press conference or a speech by a party leader any.

It is difficult to ask questions but the journalist must always demonstrate courtesy and respect. Do an objective report requires a lot of time and work but the professional journalist will never forget to introduce in his report all facets of history.

Walking shoes voters help the journalist to produce stories. This creates questions to be put to politicians.

What is the first thing to which the voter believes? Certainly the security. The voter wants to be reassured that acts of violence will not occur at polling stations and the vote will remain secret. He also wants to know where to head to complaints of threats against him.

It is easy to raise these issues in stories collected in local communities or across the country. Media must inform the electors of the electoral laws. They also interview the police, the electoral commission or the voters who have been victims of violence in the previous elections.

The media must know what measures had been taken to deal with such acts in the current election. How do react officials and politicians in the event of outbreak of new violence?

Voters also want to know the choices about the vote on candidates put at their disposal during the polling day. What are the names on the list of electors? Voters have the right to obtain information regarding the candidates and political parties. They need to compare different parties' election promises.

An objective reportage showing the different promises of parties over a specific problem of the community will give choice more thoughtful voters.

When it starts instead of the elector, should remember one thing is that the voter wants con - rise to the opinions of its region. The journalist can ask the same questions to members of the same community. This method gives an idea about the main concerns of the community.

For example, the journalist can ask the question to voters: "what is the problem most important you would like that the Government deals with priority?", or "what do you think of the acts of violence that have marked these elections? '' These questions can be posed to people in a restaurant or people crossing a bridge at a time any day or women who are waiting for the bus at a station.

If their responses are similar, this could reflect the opinion of a greater number of voters and therefore, this could be a hot topic. Even if the answers are conflicting, this could be the subject of a report. However, this is only the beginning of a long process.

The journalist must first collect information by asking candidates what their parties will do to meet the needs and concerns of voters. This journalism reflects the voice of the voters.

Journalists must also ask candidates what they think of the most important concerns of voters and must also compare their statements with those of voters.

Voters must have a prominent place in the election news. It is imperative that candidates respond to the issues raised by voters.

1. Is. this report accurate? The facts and the names are all correct? Am I convinced of the veracity of the information? I provided sufficient efforts to confirm the accuracy of the information?

2. Is the report fair and objective? Include all the facts of the story without giving a particular favor to a party or to a candidate?

3. Is my work responsible journalism? My information had - they were obtained without corruption or illegal activities? The report protects t - it its sources and comply with electoral and media laws?

4. The report reflects the voices of the voters? Contain important information for electors? Communicate the concerns of the voters to politicians?

5. The report addresses the event in its entirety? The words, photos, audio-visual sequences reflect the true history of the event?^25(*)

6. The report help voters to be better informed about the elections and thus to make reasonable decisions which serve to best interests.

7. Are the elections free and fair? There is more information about the elections should publish?

Today, the media have an important influence on the elections of a country and also participate in the perception of the regime by foreign countries.

Professional journalism is therefore to inform entirely citizens on important topics and issues and alternatives proposed so that they can vote consciously.

The elections must be fair. There must be legislation guaranteeing a secret ballot for all citizens. All applicants must also have the same rights and the same opportunities to conduct their election campaigns without interference any. Laws must be applied in a fair manner and each must respect the results of the poll.

The elections represent a huge challenge for the media. It is imperative that journalists know - feel the electoral laws. So much more than their reports devoted to the candidates, parties politics and important topics must be objective. The media should be the voice of the voters.

The criteria of professional journalism such as accuracy, objectivity and responsibility must be respected by all journalists. On the other hand, journalists should be prepared to work for a limited period and under strained conditions where pressures from Parties with important issues are possible.

In this chapter it will basically analysis question the way in which the national television to balanced, covered and diffuse the information involved 11 candidates for the 2011 presidential election. The DRC to organized elections in 2011 with 11 candidates in the race as follows:

CHACHAT defines the population of study as a set of individuals covered by the study. The boundaries of this population and its characteristics are defined according to the objectives of the investigation.

According to LESELBAU, N. The population covered by the survey is considered to be "a human set characterized which sought to know opinions, needs, reactions... It is characterized, -said that it had common characteristics enabling identification psychological, social individuals of this group.

As for MUCCHELLI, R, the study population is all persons on the door investigation and which constitutes a community.

In this regard, our study population, it is composed of 34 national television journalists who have covered elections in 2011. Its journalists are selected according to their variables.

For YATES, quoted by KALRA ELWA, M. the essential aim of any process of sample is obtaining a sample which, taking into account its reproduced limited size, the characteristics of the population, particularly those affecting the researcher as accurately as possible.

LUHAHI, defines 'sample' as 'a fixed finite population, which can count the elements with the ability to produce this sample is capable of representing the parent population in its own characteristics, means having the nature of items to be treated, the degree of precision to which we want to achieve.^26(*)

As for DE LANDSHEERE, g., 'sample' is considered as "the choice of a limited number of individuals or events whose observation makes it possible to draw some general conclusions applicable to the entire population, within which the choice was made.

From this last definition, our sample consisted of 34 journalists who responded to our survey protocol.

Because we do not have at our disposal the means to us moved to field, we have sent our survey to the country, which allowed us to well done this research. The questions were sent by email box and reproduced for 34 journalists constituting our sample.

The collection data realized on basis of a questionnaire for 34 national television journalists who covered the elections of 2011, compared with our sample, and for the latter, we have asked oral questions and answers that have been given to us were rated on a file of responses to interview that we have selected.

The selection of answers were provided taking into account people who have expressed their wishes for us to deliver information to our study.

It is worth noting that the counting of our questionnaire has taken into account the gender variable. This variable we identified variables such as the age group, level of study, socio-professional category, in addition, the data of the survey is to-say replies to the questionnaires were included in the tables, these tables are developed using the expressed frequency calculations or percentages.

Comment T1: the reading of this table shows that the 34 respondents, 22 subjects or 64,71% consist of men, while 12 issues, or 36.29 per cent are female. This can be explained by the fact that women, through their physical abilities could not withstand the jostling crowds at meetings. This can also if explained by the fact that at that time, women journalists from national television had not yet experienced to cover the elections.

Sex and age	Male		Female		Frequency	Percentage Total
Sex and age	F	%	F	%	Frequency	Percentage Total
20 à 25 years	3	13,63	1	8,35	4	11,76
25 à 30 years	5	22,73	5	41,67	10	29,41
30 à 35 years	7	31,82	4	33,33	11	32,35
35 à 40 years	4	18,19	2	16,67	6	17,65
40 years or more	3	13,63	00	00	3	8,82
Total	22	100	12	100	34	100

Comment T2. It is clear that in this table on 34 respondents, 4 topics, or 11.77% were group of age ranging between 20 and 25 years, followed by 10 subjects, either 26,41% who have age ranging between 25 and 30 years of age; followed also by 11 subjects, either 32.35% who were the age group ranging from 30 to 35 years, followed in 6 subjects continued, 17.65% who have varying between 35 and 40 years old age group or finally 3 subjects, 8.82% who have varying between 40 years age group or more.

Sex Level of study	Male		Female		Total
	F	%	F	%	Frequency	Percentage
Secondary	2	16,67	1	8,33	3	8,82
Colleges and/ universities	20	74,33	11	92,67	31	92,18
Total	22	100	12	100	34	100

Comment T3: The above table shows that the respondents 34, 31 respondents or 92, 67% have a University or higher level while 3 issues or 8.33% have a secondary study. This brings us to infer that media coverage of the presidential elections in 2011 have been ensured by intellectual journalists.

Table N ° 04: Distribution of responses to the question related to the jurisdiction.

Comment T4: Indicated in this table 23 topics, or 67.65% of our respondents have asserted have covered elections in 2011 with good quality material, while 11 subjects 33.35% says have not worked with materials of good quality for the media coverage of elections in 2011.

With regard to these results, we say that national television reporters lacked pretext to provide as regards media coverage of elections in 2011, because they had such devices that, digital and digital cameras, Dictaphones, MP3, digital telephones, etc.

Table N ° 5: Attitude of journalists from national television during coverage of the 2011 elections.

Answers	Frequency	Percentage
Men and women of media	0	00
Politicians	0	00
Made political	27	79,41
All citizen	4	11,77
Hesitant	3	10,82
Total	34	100

Comment T5: We read in this table that the majorities of respondents surveyed journalists 79.41%, shows they had played during the media coverage of the presidential elections in 2011, the role of men policy, however 4 subjects, 11.77% said that during the reports, they had adopted the attitude of every citizen elector; then 3 journalists either 10.82% is these are not pronounced. Aside from 79.41% to 11.77% extends delivered we believe that the majority of the national television journalists had no summary jurisdiction comply with the rules of ethics and journalistic ethics and had a position of accomplice becoming them even to politicians.

Table 6: distribution of the answers to how to cover the meetings and ceremonies during the campaign period.

Answers	Frequency	Percentage
Coverage on the place of meting	12	45,30
Monitoring	2	4,65
Reporting to the plateau	2	5,88
Emission débat	8	30,59
Interview vedette	1	2,94
micro Player	4	7,76
Tock-show	5	12,88
Total	34	100

Comment T6: We read according to the results in this table the most part journalists covered the companion elections 2011 instead of meeting with 12 subjects, 45.30%, 2 subjects either, 4.65% have made the cover by monitoring, 2 issues, or 5.88 by reporting on the plateau, 8 subjects or 30, 59% by Emissions debates, 1 subject, or 2.94% by interviews featured, 5 topics, 2.88% by Tock-show. This may mean that during coverage of the 2011 presidential elections, many journalists have been reporting on the place of meeting.

Table 7: Breakdown of answers in relation to the professional qualities of the journalists who have covered elections in 2011.

Answers	Frequency	Percentage
Honesty	-	00,00
Functionality	2	4,20
exactness	1	2,94
Responsibility	2	4,35
truth	1	2,86
Sincerity	1	2,16
Credibility	-	-
None	28	86,10
Total	34	100

Comment T7: this table reading 86.10% of our respondents say no professional-grade explanation have put into practice in front of multiple pressures to which they were victims.

Table 8: distribution of answers to the question, have you been under political pressure to serve the interests of a candidate?

Comment T8: the reading of this table it appears that many of our respondents either 90,10% received political pressure and the employer to cover only the events of the party in power, and only 10.90% did not receive that kind of pressure. This is to say that the journalists had their hands tied during this period.

Table 9: distribution of answers to the question, how have you divided your reports for the 11 candidates:

N°	Candidats	Report	Frequency	Percentages
1	Andeka Djamba	-	-	00,00%
2	Bombole Intole	-	-	00,00%
3	Kabila Kabange	105	22	74,12%
4	Kasese Malela	-	-	00,00%
5	Kamerhe Vital	10	3	7,24%
6	Oscor Kashala	3	1	2,10%
7	Kengo wa Dondo	5	2	4,00%
8	Mbusa Nyamwisi	2	1	2,10%
9	Nzanga Mobutu	3	2	4,00%
10	Mukendi Kamana	-	-	00,00%
11	Tshisekedi Wa Mulumba	20	3	7,24%
Total	11	148	34	100

Comment T9: this table reading we note once again more than the 3 candidate and current president has been the most privileged of the reporters from the national television with 105 stories, or 74,12% thus making a real difference to the other candidates yet with the same right of access to television services national, with only 26% for the rest of the candidates.

Table No. 10: distribution of the answer to the question was you satisfied with the work you produced during the elections in 2011 as a professional journalist and serving on national television?

Comment T10: as you may have noticed in this survey 24 table either 65.86% was not satisfied with their work during this period, they say have been taken hostage by pressures of any kind, while 10 respondents, or 35, 14% were satisfied with their work.

Table N ° 11: distribution of the answers to the question you physically threatened when travelling in places of the campaigns of the candidates.

Comment 11: How can see from this chart, 19 respondents or 54.25% have been threatened physically by some supporters of political parties, while 46.75 per cent, or 15 subjects claim to have not been threatened during their travels.

Category B: the results according to the distribution of airtime on national television of 11 candidates.

Interpretation: In this figure on the importance given to each candidate, it is clear that candidate 3 was the most protected by the authorities of the national television; they explain that the fact that they received them also orders.

Figure 2: Time's cover on land granted to candidates during the election campaign

Interpretation: in this graphic of the results of our investigations it is demonstrated that during the election campaign from 2011 throughout the country with national television candidate N°3

Airtime granted to candidates during the period from Friday 4 to Friday, November 26, 2011 on the public channel
N°	Candidats	Times
01	Joseph kabila kabange	15h50'48''
02	Léon kengo wa Dondo	1h26'34''
03	Vital Kamerhe lwa Kanyingi	1h51'13''
04	Etienne Tshisekedi wa Mulumba	1h28'19''
05	François-Joseph Nzanga Mobutu	1h46'02''
06	François-Nicephore Kakese Malela	40'35''
07	Adam Bombole Intole	52''
08	Andeka Djamba	20'05''

Interpretation: it is in this table of time allocated to each candidate in the presentation of its plans for the development of the country on national television. As you notice only 8 candidates on the 11 had this time with a non-equitable sharing.

Searching for a good understanding on media coverage during the presidential elections in 2011 by national television has been the leitmotif of this work. We started from the idea that the Organization of the second free democratic and transparent elections has left footprints in the recent political history of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Also, today it is important that all the skills related to the provision by the national television have known more often as weak points. This work of mass communication is obviously the work of journalists.

Today, the media have an important influence on the elections of a country and also participate in the perception of the regime by foreign countries.

Freedom of expression must be guaranteed to ensure that citizens and all political parties express themselves without fear. The media must be free to communicate to citizens everything that has been said in the election campaign without being subjected to pressures that might contain the truth. Professional journalism has for mission to fully inform citizens about the problems and issues and alternatives proposed so that they can vote consciously.

The elections represent a huge challenge for the media. It is imperative that journalists are aware of the electoral laws. As their coverage of the candidates, political parties and important topics must be objective. The media should be the voice of the voters.

The media play a crucial role in the construction of public space and thus in the establishment of conditions conducive to democratic expression, the proper functioning of public institutions and political bodies. In all countries, but even in a country emerging from a civil crisis as profound as that experienced by the Democratic Republic of Congo, media have a direct responsibility and especially TV so-called national democratic processes.

No democracy without public space, not public space without reliable, pluralistic information, shared by all. This is the reason why it is essential to raise awareness the media responsibilities, and the rules that it imposes on them, on ethics, ethical and professional.

But this media accountability should be placed directly into the hands of policy makers, who are, in all countries of the world, quick to consider the media as tools in the service of their own partisan interests, not as independent bodies for the expression of pluralism. Hence the need for autonomous control over Government, but recognized structures in its legitimacy by all the actors of public life.

From this point of view, it is important to emphasize to at the outset the importance of the resolutions taken at Sun city by delegates to the Inter Congolese Dialogue aimed at the establishment of an independent institution responsible for regulating the media in the transitional Constitution is fundamental for the congolese media it is indeed to create the conditions that ensure both the freedom of the media the right of all citizens to a pluralistic and reliable information the neutrality of public media, in particular during an election period.

The 2011 elections have constituted for the Congolese population, a historic moment because since 46 years of accession of our country to international and national sovereignty, it is only the second time that the DRC organized multiparty elections after 2006.

To help the population to take well-founded decisions, it is necessary to have a free press. Not only the media must be free, but they must be serious and trustworthy. They must be able to freely express different points of view. Whatever the place, journalists have established principles and criteria to provide credible information. Unfortunately, there are still journalists who are obliged to work under duress imposed by Governments or powerful interests that interfere in the professionalism.

Therefore, advertising materials of the campaign, radio, Television and the print media, the internet, debates and interviews that give applicants the opportunity to present their programs to public voters must be covered by journalists filling profile recommended to the trade. Media reporting will take the form of information, including the importance of electoral participation by explaining with honesty and responsibility to the public, how, where and when to place the vote.

To this end, the work of a media and more specifically in the audio-visual sector in front of a multitude of candidates, acquires for most cases, a more sensitive as the elections or vote assumes a struggle of interest differ between the need of power and the expectations of the population, a clash of democratic values, procedures and actions which tend to eliminate the opponent and the only mediator remains the journalist.

However, during the election coverage, looking for the facts, likely stories to provide clarification on the voting procedures, contact with information sources electoral namely candidates requires a celebrity, professionalism proved with respect to harvesting and treatment information as well as, according to the ethics of the profession, a responsibility on the part of the journalist and the media in general which was not the case of the work of the national television of the DRC during the elections of 2011.

The fundamental question we are asked we to assume that in a situation or election period, the media tend, to ensure effective coverage of political campaign operations that occur, load the journalists the best scientifically and technically informed on electoral issues.

This we brought confirmed our hypothesis for the cover of the 2011 elections, National Congolese television station of Kinshasa has not mobilized means suitable and adequate professional to encourage the pursuit of excellence that it searches through the dissemination of quality information, that is true, objective, and timely. It more served power in place and candidates at any level outgoing so its editorial line first serve every Congolese citizen regardless of its political colors, its origins and religion.

After our investigation it turns out that some political pressures did not on national television to be in the center of the elections. These journalists have worked hands tied not practical allowing them a professional journalist respecting ethics and professional ethics.

By conducting this study, concern major and objective fundamental, was the one to help any journalist to understand what we mean by the 'social responsibility' in his profession.

We have desired contributed through this research by putting at the disposal of the men of the media a tool that can serve them in the coverage of elections.

Our concern this from or even the rate of conflicts related to the elections through the work of journalists can significantly decrease in Africa and particularly in the DRC after the publication of this research.

We recognize that everything was said in this research and scientific study is not perfect and complete, but at least we have sought the truth and we recognize provided considerable efforts to make us understand.

This study was divided into five chapters, the first spoke of the introduction, the second chapter on the literature review, the third on the role of the media during the election period, the fourth on the analysis of given and interpretation of results, and the fifth on the conclusion.

The Act organic No. 11/001 of January 10, 2011, on the composition, powers and functions of the Superior Council of audiovisual and Communication also establishes the powers of public bodies. This reference has these powers we suggest the following:

· national television must give access to any Congolese citizen has its services without discrimination of races, or religions, or even political colors,

· For the next elections the right to broadcast on the antennae of the events of the various candidates must be fair.

· Those journalist reporters are responsible and can be ethics and ethics when it comes to media coverage.

· journalists to be impartial when it comes to organize broadcasts debate or they must question the different candidates of political parties,

· do not fall into political manipulation to ultimately divert the value information;

· Do not fall into the pressure from the authorities' policy to not disseminate the true information and demonstrate honesty.

· Journalism is a liberal profession, it must be practiced without any political interference,

BERTRAND, CJ. Matias, introduction to the press, radio and television, 2nd edition ellipse, 1999.

CAMMACK, DIANA, Election Reporting: a Practical Guide to media monitoring, London: Article 19, 1988. CARVE, RICHARD. Media and Election Index, Administration and Cost of Elections (ACE) Project. http://www.aceproject.org, 2001.

Chirambo, Kondwani and Mccullum, Hugh, Reporting Elections in Southern Africa: A Media Handbook. Windhoek, Namibie : le programme de démocratie durable SARDC. Université de Namibie, Département d'études d'information et de communication, 2000.

Clark, Roy Peter and Cole C. Campbell. The Values and Craft of American Journalism: Essays from the Poynter Institute. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2005.

Kim Kierano, Voters queue in front of a polling station in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on day national vote on July 27

NGOMA BINDA, political participation, ethical, for a culture of peace, democracy and good governance, Kinshasa, ITEP, 2005

POTER, IAN, elections training curriculum, Impacts media, and election program, Cambotra, 2003.

RENARD, Y, practice of journalism in a conflict zone, condensed course of Journalism Radio Okapi 2003.

HABERMAS, J., Theory and Practice 2, the collection policy, Paris, payol 1975

HOWARD, ROSS, Report on the Proceedings: Media and Elections Roundtable. Vancouver: IMPACS Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society, Vancouver, 2001.

MARTHOZ, JEAN PAUL. Election Reporting, A Media for Democracy Handbook. London: international Federation of Journalists, 2000. POTER, IAN. Elections

POTER, IAN. Elections Training Curriculum: IMPACS Media and Elections Program Cambodia 2003. Phnom Penh : Institute for Media, Policy, and Civil Society, 2003.

SCHNELLINGER, LISA. Free & Fair: A Journalist's Guide to Improved Election Reporting in Emerging Democracies. Washington, DC: International Centre for Journalists, Washington, 2001

Hachten, William A. Troubles of Journalism: A Critical Look at What's Right and Wrong with the Press. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 3ed edition, 2004.

Hamilton, James T. All the News That's Fit to Sell: How the Market Transforms Information into News. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2003.

Overholser, Geneva and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. The Press. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Sloan, W. David et Lisa Mullikin Parcell . American Journalism: History, Principles, Practices. Je? erson, NC : McFarland & Company, 2002.

KABONGO KALALA KANDA Isidore. Transforming the radio and state television into of interest services public, Audit of the RTNC, January 6, 2006

2. Press articles

BBC Producer's Guidelines. http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/editorial/prodgl/contents.htm

Journalism Ethics: The New Debate. Washington: International Center for Journalists, 1998.

Training Curriculum: IMPACS Media and Elections Program Cambodia 2003. Phnom Penh : Institute for Media, Policy, and Civil Society, 2003.

The First Amendment Handbook. Arlington, VA : The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 2003. http://www.rcfp.org/handbook/index.html

MEDIA MONITORING PROJECT ZIMBABWE. Elections Reporting, a practical guide. Harare: Media Monitoring Project, 1998. MEDIA MONITORING PROJECT ZIMBABWE. Direct access to the media in election campaigns:

INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING, Media Development and Training Materials. Www.iwpr.net. Lange, Yasha and Palmer, Andrew, media and Elections: a Handbook, European Institute for Media. Düsseldorf : 1995.

A review of International Practice and Some Recommendations for Zimbabwe. Harare: Media Monitoring Project, 2001. SCHNELLINGER, LISA. Free & Fair: A Journalist's Guide to Improved Election Reporting in Emerging Democracies. Washington, DC : International Centre for Journalists, Washington, 2001.

Direct access to the media in election campaigns: A review of International Practice and Some Recommendations for Zimbabwe. Harare: Media Monitoring Project, 2001.

3. WEBSITES

Network for the Defense of Independent Media in Africa (NDIMA) http://www.oneworld.org/ndima

Abstract.....................................................................................................1

Acknowledgements.......................................................................................2

Chapter One..............................................................................................3

1.1 Introduction....................................................................................3

1.2 Background.....................................................................................3

1.3 Problem statement ...............................................................................4

1.4 Hypothesis.......................................................................................7

1.5 Justification.......................................................................................7

1.6 Aims and objective..............................................................................8

1.7 Scope and Limitation...........................................................................8

1.8 Significance of the Study.....................................................................9

1.9 Research Methodology.........................................................................9

1.10 Organization of the study....................................................................9

Chapter Two: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................10

2.1 MEDIA AND ELECTIONS..................................................................... 10

2.2. THE MEDIA BROADCAST...................................................................15

3. NO DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS WITHOUT FREE AND PLURALISTIC MEDI......................................................................................................18

4. JURISDICTION MEDIA ANALYTICS.......................................................21

5. THE CONGOLESE MEDIA LANDSCAPE...............................................23

1. ELECTIONS .........................................................................................35

1.1 FREE ELECTION ........................................................................... 36

1.2 DEMOCRATIC ELECTION...............................................................37

1.3 TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS............................................................37

1.4 OTHER DEFINITIONS.....................................................................38

II. ELECTORAL SYSTEMS........................................................................39

V. THE CITIZEN JOURNALISM...........................................................59

VI. THE ELECTION INTERVIEW...........................................................61

VII. THE OPINION POLLS.....................................................................63

Chapter Four: CONTENET ANALYSIS OF CONGOLESE NATIONAL TV COVERAGE...........................................................................................78

1. STUDY OF THE POPULATION.........................................................78

2. STUDY SAMPLE .............................................................................79

4. COUNTING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE...............................................80

5. ANALYSIS OF DATA........................................................................80

5.1. SUMMARY .....................................................................................91

5.2. CONCLUSION ................................................................................92

5.3. RECOMMENDATION.....................................................................94

References................................................................................................96

Contents................................................................................................100

Appendix................................................................................................102

* ¹⁶ Hachten, William A. Troubles of Journalism: A Critical Look at What's Right and Wrong with the Press. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 3ed edition, 2004.

* ¹⁷ Hamilton, James T. All the News That's Fit to Sell: How the Market Transforms Information into News. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2003.

* ¹⁸ BBC Producer's Guidelines. http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/editorial/prodgl/contents.htm

Journalism Ethics: The New Debate. Washington: International Center for Journalists, 1998.

* ¹⁹ Training Curriculum: IMPACS Media and Elections Program Cambodia 2003. Phnom Penh : Institute for Media, Policy, and Civil Society, 2003.

The First Amendment Handbook. Arlington, VA : Th e Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 2003. http://www.rcfp.org/handbook/index.html

* ²⁰ Network for the Defense of Independent Media in Africa (NDIMA) http://www.oneworld.org/ndima

* ²¹ SCHNELLINGER, LISA. Free & Fair: A Journalist's Guide to Improved Election Reporting in Emerging Democracies. Washington, DC: International Centre for Journalists, Washington, 2001.

* ²³ Overholser, Geneva and Kathleen Hall Jamieson. The Press. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005.

* ²⁴ Sloan, W. David et Lisa Mullikin Parcell . American Journalism: History, Principles, Practices. Je? erson, NC : McFarland & Company, 2002.

* ²⁵ INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING, Media Development and Training Materials. www.iwpr.net. Lange, Yasha and Palmer, Andrew, (éditeurs). Media and Elections : a Handbook, European Institute for Media. Düsseldorf : 1995.

* ²⁶ MEDIA MONITORING PROJECT ZIMBABWE. Elections reporting, a practical guide. Harare: Media Monitoring Project, 1998. MEDIA MONITORING PROJECT ZIMBABWE. Direct access to the media in election campaigns:

Critical analysis of the Democratic Republic of Congo national tv coverage of the 2011 elections. Case study of Kinshasa city

III.6. THE BALANCE, NEUTRALITY AND HONESTY16(*)

2. Press articles

3. WEBSITES