Luanda — The Mass Media serves as an important indicator for election observers, acting as a barometer for press freedom and expression, access to information and equal opportunities for all contestants, the commissioner Eduardo Magalhaes said Wednesday, in Luanda.

The member of the National Electoral Commission (CNE) spoke on the role played by the media in the electoral process, as part of the National Conference of Media for the 2022 Election promoted by the Journalists Training Centre (Cefojor).

According to the commissioner, the Media plays an important role in the transparency of the electoral process providing the necessary information to citizens, so that they can make their decisions in a free and conscious way.

The commissioner added that the media also serves as a platform for political parties and their nominees to present their ideas and programmes of governance during the electoral campaign phase.

Mr Magalhães urged journalists to pay attention to the Law, having as "consultation manuals" the Constitution of the Republic of Angola (CRA), the Compendium of Electoral Legislation, the Press Law, and the Code of Conduct.

During the event, which aimed to provide essential tools for electoral coverage to media professionals, the commissioner spoke of the need to observe the adversarial principle, the equal treatment and the safeguard of the right to airtime.

Speaking to ANGOP about the conference, journalist Eugénio Azevedo, from Rádio Escola station, said the event provided media professionals with the necessary tools to follow the electoral process, with more accuracy and rigour.

"The tools are important, since the panel on ethics and professional deontology in the electoral process was extremely essential considering the complaints from the political parties about the journalistic performance", he said.

The conference brought together journalists and leading staff of media outlets.