The Electoral Commission says the media will play a big role in ensuring the coming National Elections runs smoothly and, is as free and fair as possible.
Deputy Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai, says every story consumed by the public will be crucial.
He made the comments at a 3-day workshop for journalists. Sinai says every story related to the 2017 National Elections is important.
Mr. Sinai said imbalanced reporting will have an effect on the voting population.
“We at the Electoral Commission believe the media is an important stakeholder during the 2017 National Elections,” said Mr. Sinai.
Topics covered in the past three days include the counting process, election cycle, and the role of media.
Also discussed in the workshop was the use of social media and how it posed a possible threat if individuals from the public misreport election matters.
Senior journalists also shared their experiences in covering past elections.
The workshop was supported by the PNG Electoral Commission with over 20 journalists from media houses around the country.
And with only a month left before the issuing of writs, media houses say preparations have begun to cover the 9th National Elections of the country.
The workshop ended on Wednesday with journalists receiving certificates for participating.
