October 12 poll: NCC evaluates media’s coverage of candidates.

This was during the second press conference held as part of the NCC’s assessment of media coverage of the campaigns for the October 12 election.  

NCC President, Joseph Chebongkeng Kalabubsu, said the media outing was to review Council’s observation following the last press briefing, and also provide the first report on the mid-campaign assessment.

Chebongkeng said it was also to NCC’s initial observations and recommendations for ensuring responsible and balanced media coverage that adheres to the principles of equality, fairness, and pluralism.

“Concerning the review of the NCC's observations to date, the Council has noted several instances of misconduct involving some traditional and online media organs,” Chebongkeng said. 

The NCC boss said live broadcasts of political parties on some television stations have not been given to all candidates. He urged managers of the media organs to ensure that the same favour is extended to all candidates in compliance with the principle of equality.

“The Council strongly cautions the media managers of these TV stations to discontinue this practice and limit participation exclusively to candidates and their representatives during the election campaign,” he stated. 

Chebongkeng condemned some contents circulating on social media platform, TikTok, depicting an activist claiming to be of the FSNC party, as he tears the official portrait of the President of the Republic, and the broadcast of videos portraying candidates in a negative light on Facebook pages of activists.

He said NCC “condemns this grave act of vandalism and considering the cases, reserves the right to take appropriate actions on the defaulters of the four principles guiding the campaign period”.

He disclosed that NCC’s mobile kits, deployed in the regions for proximity monitoring, revealed that “some community radios are in violation of their statutory framework by airing political broadcasts”.

Chebongkeng reiterated to all community radios that they are “inherently apolitical” and not “authorised to cover issues that don't fall within their statutory subject matter during ordinary periods or elections”.

He further said the NCC directives go particularly to those prohibiting third parties of competing candidates and their representatives from participating in campaign talk shows which are implemented by most media organs.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3589 of Thursday October 09, 2025