The herculean task of reporting elections in post-conflict Liberia

Liberia is set to head to the polls this fall. It’s the second time Liberians will vote in general and presidential elections since the end of the civil wars that devastated the country from the late 80’s until 2003 and left hundreds of thousands dead.

Liberian media is still very weak, and the post-election violence in neighbouring Ivory Coast is a stark reminder of how much is at stake in fragile democracies.

As Liberia’s Press Union President, Peter Quaqua, wrote recently: “the media in Liberia has the herculean task of reporting the processes related to these elections in the most responsible, ethical and professional manner. How well we report the news will definitely determine the public’s response to issues arising from the polls.”

Moreover, Quaqua urged journalists to do the right thing by the public and not to surrender their agenda setting responsibility to politicians.

For more insight into Liberia’s media in the run up to the elections we spoke to Peter Quaqua at the recent Global Media Forum.