Minister of Information Anas al-Fiqqi will form a committee to monitor publicity campaigns and media coverage for November's parliamentary poll. Members of the committee will include experts, academics and media professionals, as well as representatives from the Information Ministry, the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, radio channels, private Egyptian satellite channels, NGOs, rights groups, participating parties, the Media Public Free Zone, and the Egyptian Satellite Company. The committee--which will start work on Saturday and finish with the run-off vote--will monitor promotional material to ensure compliance with election advertising rules. The committee will also be responsible for following up on media coverage of the entire election process, he added. Farouk Abu Zaid, head of the committee, said establishing a unified set of rules for promotional campaigns is an important step toward guaranteeing fairness, transparency and integrity in the election process, in light of the significant role the media plays in election coverage. The new set of rules will be submitted to the Supreme Electoral Commission for approval, he added. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
