VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBUL #1424/01 1580245
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070245Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9262

UNCLAS KABUL 001424 
 
DEPT FOR S/CRS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN'S MEDIA COMMISSION: UP AND RUNNING 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The newly-created Media Commission, slated to play 
an important role in the upcoming presidential election, is now up 
and running.  In addition to monitoring compliance with the media 
code of conduct, the Commission intends to organize radio and TV 
airtime for candidate roundtables, offering the airtime to 
candidates on an equitable basis.  The Commission has restricted 
inherent powers to sanction violators of the code, and will look to 
international partners for support throughout the campaign process. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Chief Commissioner Sidiquallah Towhidi told the 
international election stakeholders meeting on May 31 that the Media 
Commission is up and running, with five commissioners in place, two 
of whom are women.  He explained the procedures the Commission would 
use in allegations of violations of the IEC-drafted code of conduct 
for media during the election campaign.  In case of violations, the 
Commission has limited inherent powers.  It can request a retraction 
or correction from the offending party, or the right of reply for 
the offended party.  If these remedies are not applicable or 
responded to, the Commission intends to refer such matters either to 
the Justice Ministry for prosecution, or to the Ministry of 
Information and Tourism's internal Media Commission - the downside 
of which, as Tahidi commented candidly, is that the Information 
Minister is widely viewed as a close Karzai ally. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Towhidi said the Commission plans to purchase air time on 
five TV and ten radio stations in order to air candidate roundtables 
and individual candidate spots; candidates would be eligible to take 
advantage of this air time on an equitable basis.  Subsequently, 
Commission staff told us they would meet with commercial media next 
week to iron out the terms of providing this air time. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In addition to Towhidi, the other commissioners include 
Fawzia Nazari, Dad Mohammad Annaby; Huda Yasmin Noori; M. Arif 
Gharwal.  The Media Commission expanded from three to five members 
for the 2009 election.  Most commissioners have a journalism 
background and two served previously on the previous media 
commission. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The media commission has four main tasks:  a.  Monitor the 
coverage of the electoral campaign by the mass media; b.  Address 
complaints of alleged breaches of fair reporting and coverage of the 
political campaign and other violations of the mass media code of 
conduct; c.  Set up and oversea the sponsored advertising program 
that will provide each candidate with free of cost airtime on radio 
or television including several roundtables where candidates appear 
together for discussion; d.  Verify the silence period in the media 
during the 48 hours before the commencement of polling and on 
election day.  During the silence period, the media should not cover 
any candidate's political activity, nor publish or broadcast any 
results fm the opinion surveys or exit polls.  The Media Commission 
will likely contract for the media monitoring and sponsored 
airtime/roundtable events. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Any registered voter, political party, candidate or their 
representative can file a complaint in case of violation of the 
media Code of Conduct.  The complaint needs to be made on a form 
issued by the Media Commission, signed by the witness, and delivered 
within 72 hours of the alleged violation to any provincial election 
office, the Electoral Media Commission, or the IEC. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Media Monitoring:  For clarification, there are several 
media monitoring activities connected with the IEC.  As discussed 
above, the Media Commission will monitor media coverage of the 
campaigns.  It is hiring 60 monitors to examine print, broadcast and 
TV discussions in 20 main provinces.  The monitoring will being 20 
June and the first media monitoring report is due 29 June.  The IEC 
itself also conducts media monitoring of reporting about the IEC and 
its activities (across print, radio and television.)  Finally, the 
UNDP-ELECT is contracting for media monitoring to review the entire 
IEC process and to serve as a balance to the other monitoring 
efforts. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Media Code of Conduct requires media institutions and 
representatives to sign and abide by the following guidelines: a. 
Refrain form broadcasting or releasing election related reports that 
could cause violence or tribal, linguistic, regional, ethnic, or 
religious discrimination; b.  ensure all election related reports 
are prepared with impartiality, accuracy, fairness, and equity; c. 
provide detailed information to the public concerning the different 
election processes; d. refrain from printing, broadcasting or 
publishing incorrect information that could mislead the participants 
in an election; e. avoid printing, broadcasting or publishing 
scandalous advertisements or insulting reports about a candidate's 
personality or behavior that could affect the election results; f. 
refrain from publishing partial reports and avoid focusing only on 
activities that support or harm a specific political party or 
candidate; g. use only the official numbers and information for 
preparing and publishing reports, and refrain from publishing or 
broadcasting rumors or gossip; h. specify the sources of opinions 
and information; i. refrain from accepting any gift or payment from 
a political party or candidate for broadcasting elections reports; 
j. when the IEC requests, correct mistakes existing in their 
election reports as soon as possible; k. respect the decisions of 
IEC, ECC, and MC, and take the necessary actions for the 
implementation of their decisions. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Media Commission could decide to sanction violations 
by: a. Issuing a public reprimand to the individual or the Mass 
Media outlet involved; b. Issuing an order requiring the violator to 
publish a correction drafted by the Media Commission; c. Requiring 
its decision to be published by the violator; d. Ordering retraction 
or right to reply; e. Referring the matter to the IEC, the Electoral 
Complaints Commission, the Public Prosecution Office or the Media 
Commission of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Separate from the Media Commission, the IEC External 
Affairs Department, headed by Mohammad Farid Afghanzai, handles 
other media issues.  In addition to protocol, this department will: 
a. prepare and disseminate media statements and briefing documents 
on behalf of the IEC; b. Contact media for regular media briefings 
and special media events for the IEC and IECS; c.Prepare and 
disseminate press releases, media handbooks and brochures; d. 
Maintain and update the IEC website; e.Ensure the facilitation of 
requests for interviews with IEC members; f. Collect needed 
materials and information and respond to information requests from 
media; g. When appropriate, respond to incorrect information in 
media; h. Monitor local and national media to gain understanding of 
the information and messages that are being broadcasted and 
distributed on the electoral process and IEC; collect and analyze 
information and prepare adequate response; i. Processing of media 
applications for accreditation; j. Distribute media credentials. 
 
EIKENBERRY