The Minister of State for Information Affairs and Government's Official Spokesperson Sameera Ebrahim bin Rajab said that the Ministry of State for Information Affairs (MSIA) had pledged all of its human, technical and technological potentials to cover the 2014 parliamentary and municipal elections and paved the way for Arab, regional and international media to cover this democratic event in order to ensure neutrality, transparency and objectivism of news coverage for Bahraini citizens and the whole world.
In a statement to Akhbar Al-Khaleej newspaper, the Minister said that the Information Affairs Authority (IAA) has been keen on conveyance of information to recipients since the start of the election process, adding that Bahrain Television (BTV) has changed the whole screen in favour of the elections and published immediate firsthand information about the elections and introduced the profiles of 150 contenders to their constituents on BTV screen.
She added that the Egyptian Al-Ghad Al-Arabi Channel presented dialogue programmes and recorded 5 interviews regarding the Bahraini elections at the BTV studios, aired simultaneously by the Bahrain Television and Al-Ghad Al-Arabi channel.
The Minister said that the Ministry paid much heed to the Media Centre, invited journalists and media people to cover the elections, adding that 20 satellite TV channels participated, including international channels such as the BBC, Russia Today RT, France 24 as well as 30 Arab and international newspapers, including international Arab newspapers such as Al-Arab, Al-Hayatt, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, and also 10 news agencies including international news agencies such as the French News Agency AFP, Reuters, Associated Press, German News Agency, Japanese News Agency, in addition to Arab news agencies. The number of foreign media crews comprised 100 reporters and photographers. 300 local newspapers journalists and photographers also participated in covering news of Bahrain's parliamentary and municipal elections.
On the day of the first round of parliamentary and municipal elections i.e. (Saturday: November 22), 60 reports in Arabic and 46 reports in English were broadcast on BTV. The IAA also compiled special reports and sent them to foreign news agencies and TV channels, the Minister explained.