Search
 

Promoting Free and Fair Election Coverage 

Knight Fellow Alison Bethel's election guide led to more balanced reporting on the issues and candidates.  

Knight International enabled journalists in Ghana to generate balanced reports on their country's 2008 presidential election.  Knight Fellow Alison Bethel produced a first-of-its-kind election handbook that journalists used to focus on important issues and avoid stories that fuel partisan strife. The handbook was widely distributed to journalists throughout the capital. Ghana's peaceful election set a new milestone for democracy in Africa, thanks in part to the improved election coverage.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Electoral Commission credited violence-free elections in part to pre-vote training of journalists and the publication of “Free and Fair: A Journalist’s Guide to Improved Election Reporting in Ghana.”
  • Coached political reporters at the Daily Dispatch, Ghana's leading daily, to produce a series on campaign issues that affect the lives of Ghanaian citizens.
  • Spurred a redesign of the newspaper to provide better context and analysis in election stories.


about the fellow

Alison Bethel, managing editor of The Nassau Guardian in the Bahamas, began her journalism career at The Boston Globe.

Learn more about Alison

Read Alison's blog

About the Partner

The Daily Dispatch is one of the leading news outlets in Ghana and West Africa.

Become a  Fellow