Voter Focus is Often Diverted from Real Issues

Newsreel Asia Insight #9
Oct. 10, 2023

Upcoming elections in five Indian states, leading up to national elections next year, may overshadow voter concerns in favour of political spectacle and divisive issues. It’s likely because, during an election, focus of media coverage often strays from governance, the core responsibility of elected officials.

The Election Commission of India announced on Oct. 9 that the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram will hold legislative elections in November, with vote counting scheduled for Dec. 3. 

Media outlets often, intentionally or unintentionally, amplify divisive narratives, overshadowing the real issues that concern voters. This is why hate speech, and even violence, against religious minorities increase before elections.

While reporters do engage with voters, the questions they pose frequently mirror the agenda established by politicians. For instance, instead of asking local residents about their priorities for the upcoming election or addressing their genuine needs and concerns, reporters often focus on divisive topics. They might query voters on what politicians are saying – whether religious minorities are less patriotic than the majority community – thereby sidestepping the issues that truly matter to the electorate.

The media’s approach often empowers politicians to set the agenda, to divert attention from governance. Analysis of political parties’ manifestos, crucial for evaluating their proposed policies and commitments, or analyses on how the incumbent government seeking another term performed, is often either woefully inadequate or deliberately ignored.

Strategies used by politicians from a ruling party frequently aim to depict the opposition as feeble and unwise, effectively sidelining both voter concerns and opposition voices. This subtly signals to the electorate that even if the governance record of the ruling party is poor, they have no viable alternatives. Media outlets often fail to discern these manipulative tactics of the governing parties.

The focus of a typical election coverage often also shifts to a “horse race” between candidates or parties, focusing primarily on who’s winning or losing, rather than the actual needs and demands of the electorate.

The International Journalists’ Network notes that “horse race” coverage can even discourage voter participation. Such coverage often lacks in-depth analysis of candidates’ policies and values and their governance record.

While horse race coverage may be engaging, it often dumbs down complex issues. Questions about candidates’ spending priorities, policy proposals and their potential impact should be at the forefront of election coverage.

An article published by the Slate magazine uses this analogy: In a real horse race, spectators aren’t interested in hearing the announcer discuss the horses’ diets. They want to know who’s leading, who’s catching up, who’s in the mix, and who’s falling behind. Is a front-runner losing steam, allowing an underdog to seize victory? Details that can’t be captured in the announcer’s quick commentary are usually found in the in-depth articles of the Daily Racing Form, a tabloid newspaper. But for real-time excitement, nothing beats a compelling horse-race commentary.

Legislative elections fundamentally concern governance, encompassing a wide range of issues such as healthcare quality, the state of educational institutions, public trust in law enforcement, employment opportunities, price stability for essential goods, and the promotion of good societal values, etc. Yet, these critical topics often receive scant attention during election season. Instead, the discourse typically centres on the unfolding political battle between parties, a realm in which the average voter has little genuine stake.

The electorate needs comprehensive information, including policy analysis, assessments from independent, non-aligned agencies and the fulfilment of past campaign promises. However, such crucial data is often either sparse or missing in the media coverage.

A change in media focus is essential for keeping voters informed and active, rather than reducing them to mere spectators of political theatre. At the same time, voters need to be vigilant against politicians’ tactics that divert attention, concentrating instead on how election outcomes will directly impact them.