THE Commonwealth Observer Group has warned about potential bias in election coverage, citing close ties between the owners of private media houses and the country’s main political parties.

In its final report following the May election, the observer group said private media professionals should consider establishing an independent media association and developing a code of conduct for election coverage to strengthen self-regulation and professional standards across the sector.

The group said such measures would complement the existing regulatory framework administered by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA).

It also recommended that appropriate regulations be established to ensure equitable access to the media, including state-owned media, for all political parties and candidates during election periods.

The group found that while overall media coverage reflected a “politically diverse range of views”, it received reports of close relationships between the owners of some private media houses and the main political parties, as well as concerns about perceptions of biased reporting resulting from those relationships.

“The Group encourages continued dialogue among media owners, journalists, regulators and civil society on editorial transparency, particularly during election periods.”

The observer group also raised concerns about the dual role of the Office of the Prime Minister’s Director of Communications, Latrae Rahming, who also served as the Progressive Liberal Party’s spokesperson during the election.

It called for a clear and visible separation between the two roles, saying the overlap could undermine public confidence.

The group also reiterated its longstanding recommendations on campaign financing and access to information.

It said legislation should be enacted to regulate campaign financing, including the registration of political parties, contributions, expenditure and reporting requirements.

The group also called for the Freedom of Information Act to be fully operationalised and implemented, including through regulations and adequate resourcing of the Office of the Information Commissioner.

It said this would strengthen public access to official information and democratic accountability.