MOI gears up for elections coverage on digital media

The Ministry of Information (MOI) is gearing up to provide comprehensive and professional coverage of the upcoming 2024 National Assembly elections, said Undersecretary Dr. Nasser Mohsen.

In a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Dr. Mohsen affirmed that the Ministry is working tirelessly to mobilize all its resources to ensure a successful coverage of the democratic event, befitting the reputation and status of Kuwait.

He noted that the Ministry is working diligently, under the guidance of Minister of Information and Culture, Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, to implement a comprehensive plan for covering the upcoming National Assembly elections, post Cabinet approval on 4 April 2024.

Dr. Mohsen explained that the Ministry is focused to keep pace with the electoral process through a network of reporters in the polling stations in the five electoral districts, to transmit current events through traditional and digital platforms. It will also mobilize logistics to facilitate local and international media.

As per his briefing, the Ministry has developed a comprehensive plan for electoral coverage in three main stages. The first stage began from the moment the decree dissolving the National Assembly was announced and the decree calling for the 2024 elections was issued, by adapting several initiatives to keep pace with the democratic event.

The second stage of the media plan aims to shed light on the elections and their importance by allocating initiatives that address the democratic process in the country, the electoral culture, and the political awareness of voters. The aim is to educate and raise awareness in society about the importance of actively voting and electing the most suitable candidate, in addition to daily coverage of the Elections Affairs Department at the Ministry of Interior.

Dr. Mohsen explained that the third stage focuses on covering the actual voting and counting processes and announcing the results, placing the citizen at the heart of the event with minute-to-minute coverage, from the opening of the ballot box until the official announcement of the final results.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Information will establish a media center to facilitate local and international media on election day, as well as provide logistical capabilities and information on the elections, the history of the National Assembly, and the long-standing democratic process in Kuwait.

Regarding the plan for the voting day, Dr. Mohsen said that the official media will begin its live coverage with the opening of the ballot box through a network of reporters in the five districts. This will be interspersed with awareness flashes and programs that host experts, in addition to conducting interviews with voters to talk about the electoral process.

He added that with the closing of the ballot box, TV stations will start a live broadcast of the accurate and transparent counting process, through its delegates in all committees in the five districts until the official results are announced by the judges.

Dr. Mohsen pointed out that the MOI, represented by the legal sector and in cooperation with the Press and Publications and Publishing Sector, has formed teams to follow up and monitor violations on digital media. MOI is urging all media to cover the elections in a fair manner, especially since the Ministry provides them support with media materials and necessary permits to enter the polling and counting stations, which contributes to the smooth functioning and successful media coverage.

He stressed that the MOI, “under the wise directives of Minister Al-Mutairi, is working to complete the details of the elections coverage plan, which coincides with the program plan for the holy month of Ramadan. All the expertise and capabilities of the Ministry’s employees have been mobilized to carry out this task in a manner befitting this democratic event.”