Globe International NGO carried out a systematic monitoring of the media coverage of the May 24 presidential election. The opponents were MPRP's candidate N.Enkhbayar, current President of Mongolia, and the DP's candidate, Ts.Elbegdorj MP. Monitoring was supported by the Open Society Forum in the context of “Civil Society Monitoring Network" and is to cover the last two weeks of media campaigning by the candidates via Mongolia's National Public Broadcasting Television, UBS, TV-5, TV-9 and TV channel 25.
Globe International released June 10 final results following 15 days of monitoring between May 8 and 22 observing that: during 1,324 hours' coverage, excluding news programs, about 150 hours has provided news and information about the two candidates; 47 percent or 62 hours has been devoted to information about Ts.Elberdorj, and 53 percent or 69 hours-- N.Enkhbayar.
Positive information about the two candidates had been 64 percent (83 hour), 13 percent (17 hour) neutral and 23 percent (30 hour) negative. Positive information about Enkhbayar had been 1.9 times more than about Elbegdorj, while negative information on Elbegdorj had been 4.3 times more than Enkhbayar.
According to monitoring results, TV news programs had broadcast information about the candidates for about 51 hours, of which 61 percent or 31 hours had been about Enkhbayar, and 39 percent or 20 hours about Ts.Elebgdorj. Negative information about Elbegdorj had been 6 times more than his opponent during the TV news programs.
Approaching the voting date of Presidential Election 2009, activity of election campaigns had intensified. Unfortunately, the election campaign could not be as fair and balanced as awaited. The Globe International NGO covered the last two weeks of media campaigning by the candidates via 5 TV channels observing 1,324 hours’ coverage. The NGO summarises following four conclusions on the monitoring.
- The TV channels did not provide an equal opportunity to the candidates
- Mongolian electors could not receive real information about the candidates. It had dominated one-sided, polarized and biased handing information on the candidates.
- TV channels failed to prepare news program in professional level. News programs turned into election advertisement; and almost half of news coverage had been paid-materials. The coverage of news program (paid-material) had constantly increased during the monitoring session. It showed that voters’ right in receiving real information was very limited.
- Mongolian National Public Broadcasting Television had performed its duty properly compared with other commercial TV channels.
In viewing of the final result of numeral data, the TV channels have provided news and information about the two candidates; 47 percent has been devoted to information about Ts.Elberdorj, and 53 percent - N.Enkhbayar. There has been a difference of 6 percent. It may say that it was almost balanced. Information about N. Enkhbayar was more by 22 percent than his opponent in the TV news program, whilst, information about Ts. Elbegdorj was more by 6 percent than Enkhbayar in the coverage of other TV programs.
During the TV news program, positive information about Enkhbayar had been 83.1 percent and negative information on him had been only 3.1 percent. Meanwhile, positive information about Elbegdorj was 51.4 percent and negative information -33.1 percent. If comparing negative information about the two candidates, its difference had been 10 times.
Debate between the two candidates broadcast by Mongolian National Public Broadcasting Television on May 21, 2009 was under much attention of voters. To evaluate the debate on the profession level, it was not like a real debate. The debate was conducted like according to the host of political parties and the candidates. Moreover, questions were prepared in advance. Nevertheless, this debate was helpful to make real choice by voters who wanted real information.
Globe International sought to evaluate mass media performance in providing objective and balanced coverage of the candidates in the news and current affairs programs. Globe International had wide experience in performing the media monitoring during 2004 and 2008 parliamentary elections and 2005 presidential election.