Media as watchdogs and election monitors in fragile states

For the past ten years, international donors have devoted special attention to the role of the media in electoral processes in Africa, especially in the so-called “post-conflict” countries. Indeed, in unstable and politically tense contexts, the media is viewed as much a possible trouble-maker as a committed civil society player able to guarantee the free and fair character of the election, and able to give a voice to the voiceless. Using the example of the presidential elections that took place in Burundi in 2010, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2011, the present chapter analyzes the role of international media assistance programs in influencing and “shaping” a country’s local election coverage.SCOPUS: ch.b