Moscow, 28 February – CJES, the informational and analytical center of the Russian Union of Journalists, in cooperation with MEMO 98, has been systematically monitoring the media coverage of the 2 March presidential election. CJES seeks to evaluate the mass media’s performance in providing objective and balanced coverage of the contestants and their platforms so the citizens of Russia can make well-informed choices at the ballot box. The project’s findings are determined through a well-defined and rigorous methodology which was already implemented by CJES during its previous media monitoring projects, most recently during the State Duma elections. The project’s results are not intended to support any one candidate, but the integrity of the media environment as a whole during the campaign season.

Since 10 January, the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations has monitored five TV stations. The media unit analyzed the prime time news programs assessing and producing findings on the time allocated to all candidates running in the 2 March presidential elections, as well as the time allocation given to the President Putin. The tone of the coverage was also evaluated. Quantitative analysis measures the total amount of time devoted to election contestants and the President on news programs. Qualitative analysis evaluates the tone in which the monitored subjects have been portrayed – positive, neutral or negative. The enclosed charts show the results of the monitoring from 2 – 25 February (see the whole report).


 Full report (English)

 Charts