Electoral Processes and Media Coverage- A Study of the Media’s Performance in the Gambia’s December 2021 Presidential Elections
The focus of the investigation was The Gambia’s media outlets. The study’s 30-day timeframe allowed for the content analysis of the media outlets’ output. The media’s coverage of political rallies, the candidates, and party manifestos, their efforts at voter education and civic engagement, and their ethical use of language were the areas of interest. It was discovered that government-owned media outlets covered the parties and election-related topics in an utterly impartial, nonpartisan, and thorough manner. Most of the private media outlets paid little or no attention to giving voter education or giving presidential candidates a platform on which to engage with the public. It is remarkable, nevertheless, that media companies did not permit unethical language use on their platforms, with a few notable exceptions. The Gambia’s media is entering a period of unprecedented freedom of expression, allowing professionals to carry out their civic duties without fear of reprisal. The dormant potentials are starting to manifest. This activity represents a reaffirmation of what the public expects from the media during election season.
