Programs and Events 2009
Guinean Journalists Share Lessons from 2008 Presidential Elections
On April 28, 2009, a group of Guinean journalists who travelled to the United States at different stages of the 2008 U.S. Presidential Elections shared their impressions of the U.S. electoral process and media coverage during a panel discussion for their journalist colleagues. Most of the participating journalists travelled to the United States on U.S. government sponsored programs to expose international journalists to the U.S. electoral process and to the manner in which the U.S. media covers elections.
PAO Andrew McLean opened the session by emphasizing the importance of sharing the journalists’ experiences to explain the role of the media in the electoral process in the United States and to take from their experiences lessons to be applied in the upcoming electoral process in Guinea. He noted that Guinea is in at crossroads in its own history and that all members of society, especially the media, must play a crucial role in the transition to civilian rule through democratic elections.
Bangaly Camara, Director of the Guinean School of Journalism ISIC, gave an overview of the role of a journalist at each stage of the electoral process, including the pre-campaign period, the campaign period, Election Day, election night and the post election period. For each of these stages, the Guinean journalists shared first-hand accounts from the 2008 campaign in the U.S.
Caleb Kolie, Director of Information, shared that, while some news outlets in the U.S. endorse one candidate over another, they work to ensure objectivity in their reporting of the campaign process. Idiatou Camara, RTG Radio, noted that what impressed her during her stay in the United States was the fact that journalists strive to remain totally independent, including financially, from the story they are covering. She remarked that National Public Radio in the United States is financially supported by its own listeners, and she encouraged Guinean media outlets to think creatively to finance operations to allow for greater media independence.
During the question and answer period that followed the presentation, audience members expressed their appreciation for the information shared by the panel. Members of the media in the audience noted that Guinean journalists should also strive for greater independence from political leaders. This independence includes financial independence, since many Guinean journalists depend on financial support from the people they are covering, which leads to biased coverage. One journalist commented that, based on the examples shared and the discussion that followed, it is clear that Guinean journalists have a long way to go to reach the level of professional development that is seen in the U.S. media. However, this should not stop Guinean journalists from working toward that level of professionalism.