These may be followed by young journalists / citizen journalists / media school students.

A phased approach for election coverage is what you should attempt. Here are the guidelines for the backgrounder and election coverage. Let’s begin with:

Know your parliamentary constituency:

• As a citizen journalist (CJ) find out about your constituency. With delimitation in force, most of the erstwhile parliamentary constituencies have changed. Follow local newspaper reports. Talk to active workers of political parties (aim for three major parties in your area, if not more). Dig as much information as you can from them. Make notes.
• Cross-check facts (all journalists are trained to cross-check facts, even if your kith and kin vouch for it). For this, contact your local district administration office (Collector, District Magistrate (DM) or SDM, who are often the chief election officer of your area). Establish rapport with them.
• Cross-check about the voters’ identity cards issuance (though district officials may make tall claims, the ground realities might be different)
• Find out simple things about No of polling stations (each polling station has several booths) and booths, voter strength (polling station-wise) and changes, if any.
• How many assembly constituencies are there in your parliamentary constituency? Find out about the MLAs from these constituencies (party-wise / caste-wise).
• Try and get the demographic details of the polling stations in your area (if possible, which polling stations are dedicated pockets for which party / caste)
• Make notes and note down details of the parliamentary constituency No and also the assembly constituency Nos.
• If you have a journalist friend, seek help from them.
• Let us know the polling date of your constituency (there are five dates for all-India polling, called phases)
• Collate these facts and file your first report(s) – it could be a series of four to five reports but please indicate it to us about it beforehand.
• Keep your reports crisp, to the point, with quotes, within 500 to 650 words. If your report is longer, splice it in parts.
• These details would help you check facts later, during or after the polls.

 

Who won from your parliamentary constituency in the past?

• Profile winners from the parliamentary constituency that you are reporting from
• Any records – the maximum time a candidate has been sent as an MP from that constituency?
• Prominent winners / losers
• Mention the vote margin by which they might have won [over 5 lakh is a good margin for a large constituency, while for a smaller constituency (in hills, etc), a 2-lakh-vote is also good]
• What factors helped them win (was it party politics – as in West Bengal – or was it caste complexion of the constituency)?
• In some cases, fear plays an important role, if the candidate was a mafia lord. Mention this as well (you may write under a pseudonym, if need be).
• Make your report interesting. Talk to the past winners, if possible and take quotes (active workers of political parties would put you through to them).

 

Feel the mood of the people:

• Get quotes from people you know (to begin with). Try and talk to a varied segment – from businessmen, industrialists, retired army officers, housewives, office going babus, the corner paanwala / kirana (general merchant) shop, your vegetable seller, barber, rickshaw-pullers / auto or taxi drivers – as it would give a good idea of their mood.
• Find out if any demographic segment favour any particular party (Dalits may prefer BSP, Yadav are traditional voters of Yadav leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Yadav)
• Who do Minorities in your area favour?
• Any social engineering that leaders are working on (Samajwadi Party and RJD worked on the minority + Yadav votes, Mayawati is luring all castes, after consolidating the Dalit vote bank).
• Any coercion that these voters might face (for this you have to take the person in confidence) – in West Bengal the locality party office plays an important part, mafia lords or urban slum lords also call shots. Get quotes.
• Why the middle class abstains from voting?

 

Profile the prospective candidates (major party-wise):

• All parties have either come out or will declare names of the candidates that they are fielding.
• Find out who all are in the race, or how (s)he managed to edge out other contenders
• Why a particular candidate was chosen / preferred?
• Is (s)he first time MP candidate – past records, if any?
• Find out what people feel about him
• Talk to the candidate (catch him / her early).
• Don’t shy away from asking tough questions, but say it without any trace of malice, with the sweetest smile.
• Find out as much as you can about the candidate before you talk to him / her.
• You may concentrate on major contenders (leave out the small fries, but they can give you interesting details about major players, which you may weave as a quote in your story)

GUIDELINES FOR ACTUAL ELECTION COVERAGE:

Nomination of candidates:

• By this time you may have developed contacts with party officials (lesser ones, if need be) and party offices
• Keep a tab on the important parties / candidates from your areas
• Follow local newspaper reports carefully
• Try and meet the candidate a day before he files his nomination papers
• Get a feel of his mood (everyone would appear upbeat, but you should be able to sift grain from the chaff and chaff from the grain)
• It’s likely that he may ask you to accompany him the next day (this depends on you and the genuine interest that you show)
• Make mental notes of every small nuances (if you do not rely on your memory, take notes, quietly)
• Capture the atmosphere at his home / party office
• Find out the smallest possible detail like how many cars / people would accompany him
• Make random checks on some of the items on your own (you will know the difference between hype and fact)
• See what he does: Does he offer prayer (puja / namaz / gurudwara / church, etc)? Does he pay obeisance to his elders (person / photographs)
• Any particular person who accompanies him (wife, friend, child, grandchildren, etc)
• What’s the atmosphere like? The band-baja, elephants, camels, cars, etc.
•  Make notes of how the cavalcade is welcomed on the way (though most of it may be sponsored in the case of prominent leaders)
• What is he wearing? Is it a special vehicle (rath or some other fancy name his vehicle may have)?
• Take quotes (as many possible)
• Now, you are ready to file a colour and mood copy about his nomination
• You may also profile a few lesser candidates (remember to highlight the differences). If you are a good writer, you may draw the irrelevance / humour and churn out a good copy for us

 

 Assets and history of candidates:  

• It’s statutory and mandatory for all candidates to declare their assets and criminal history (if any)
• They have to file copies of the Income Tax return (ITR) papers. Get a copy of the same
• You may get these copies from the local district administration
• Prominent journalists manage to get photocopies of the candidate’s declaration
• Build rapport with them so that you are able to file your story immediately with us
• In case, you are unable to procure the details, follow newspaper reports (four or five top newspapers of your area)
• And if you are filing the story afterwards, you may freshen it up with quotes from the candidate (it’s fun to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth)
• Ask him the most disturbing question without malice, with the sweetest smile (charm him to blurt out something unheard)
• Now, you are ready to file a story about how wealthy / fearful is your candidate
• Keep tabs of the top few candidates. You may file a story, mentioning the richest candidates, the mafia lords, the meekest (poorest) candidates in the fray

 

Candidates real and fake:

• Many mafia lords finance fake candidates (thus get additional cars, people, etc) to manage booths on their behalf
• You won’t hear much about them during the election
• Cadre-based parties (BJP and the Left) also ‘manage’ similar candidates
• Some candidates are in the fray for money. They withdraw after receiving a good amount from the prominent players
• Keep close watch / tab on such candidates
• Write stories only if you have enough details and quotes
• Avoid rumours / speculations, as they fly thick and fast during elections
• In case you hear that a candidate has doctored his age / caste, etc be prepared to dig his background (his board, university, neighbours in village / town)
• In some cases, his opponents would provide you the details (off the record). But, always cross-check thoroughly all facts before filing stories with us

 

Follow rallies and party meetings:

• Remember to follow rallies and party meetings
• Capture the mood of the people
• Talk with your contacts and get as many quotes as possible
• Try and be as accurate as possible
• Follow newspapers, talk to prominent journalists, MLAs and party workers
• Avoid the know-all kinds – they are dangerous rumour machines
• Listen to all but do not shut down your own judgement / discerning abilities
• Try and follow top two or three candidates
• File as many interesting stories as you can

 

Get a feel of the people on the polling day:

• The most common complaint of the voters are faulty voters’ list
• Entire areas / localities are either doctored / missing from the electoral list
• You may find people with Voter I-cards, ration cards, etc unable to cast their votes
• Talk to them and make notes
• Never ask anyone who they have voted for. Instead ask who they think might win and why (even if they tell you that they have voted for a certain candidate, don’t mention it in your report)
• Ask presiding / polling officers (government officials who may be known to you) to tell you off the record about their experiences
• You may be surprised that despite EVMs, votes are cast the previous night at many places, on gun-point
• If you feel that you cannot file these disturbing reports in your own name, write under a pseudonym (write to us and we will take care)
• In some cases, even journalists may feel that they are unable to file certain stories in their own name. They too may write under another name
• Be careful that you get facts and that your sources are credible (look into their eyes, body language while talking). If they are hyper, with shifting / blinking eyes, avoid their stories. Some are good players and they can be very calm while feeding lies (you should know about these people). Talk to senior journalists, who may guide you

Get a hang of the atmosphere on the counting day:

If you are a journalists, you will have no problem going to the vote counting centre of your constituency

• If not, hang nearby and hang around nearby
• Talk to people and capture the mood
• You may see a candidate or two rush out in disgust (do not talk to them, unless you know them very well). Make notes
• Get quotes
• Find out which rounds of counting were critical and when did the candidate(s) give up
• Alternatively, the winning candidate’s camp would be in celebration mode
• Do not believe any report, unless the district administration actually hands over the certificate, declaring the said candidate as the winner
• You may note some drama at this point as well. Make notes
• File your report and alert us

These guidelines may be followed by non-journalists, like housewives, doctors, engineers, students and other lay Citizen Journalists (CJs).

Don’t shy away from writing:

• You may have always dreamed if writing and seeing your name published but have shied away thinking that you are not a trained writer or journalist.
• You can never imagine your write-ups to find place in even the rag-tag newspapers of your area. But the desire to write and see your name published somewhere is there.
• Don’t lose heart. Merinews invites you to realize your long cherished dream.
• Find out the tips to be a writer. You may find that you won’t stop smiling.
  

  Tips for writing:

  • Here’s a secret – to write clearly you need to think clearly. Once you have done that, writing is as easy as cake walk.
  • Find out the areas close to your heart. What affects you the most? Is it the beggar on the street corner, shoe-shine boy, vanishing playgrounds and parks in your city, insecurity of girls and women to move about freely, growing criminalisation, corruption, education system, relationship… in fact you may write on just about anything under the son.
  • It’s easier to write on subjects that you feel passionate about.
  • Gather your thoughts. The best way to harness the mind is to sit quietly for sometime and allow your thoughts on the subject to flow.
  • Keep a pen and paper (note book or diary) ready with you.
  • Don’t worry if you find that no sentences are flowing. It may be words, phrases, quotes, something you read somewhere that you recall. Note these down.
  • Now start asking yourself questions, the five W’s (Who, What, Where, When & Why) and one H (How). For example, if you are thinking about hunger, your answers might be ‘the poor’ (Who), find out its definition (Google, dictionary, books, etc) to get an answer for ‘What is hunger?’ Next question could be ‘Where?’ (Your answers could range from African countries, Third World countries, India, your state, a locality / slum). Treat other questions similarly.
  • Always decide the pitch of the story - a poor beggar (individual) to a community (Mushars – a low tribe that eats rats and are untouchables). It could also be a neighbourhood slum, your city, etc. But, it’s best to keep your pitch small – beggar boy or the nearby slum.
  • Note down whatever comes to your mind.
  • Organise your notes.
  • Next, do research and homework in the subject. Talk to people who know about this topic. Surf the Net.
  • Make notes.
  • When you feel that you have sufficient matter to write 10 pages, just get down to writing a page or two (not more)
  • You may write in white heat, in one big flow (that’s the best), but if it’s laboured, ask yourself why am I writing this. Ask if your next sentence is providing any new information, if not, don’t write.
  • Keep your sentences short and simple. One way of doing is to imagine that you are writing for a child who is in class IV. You may address it to some young child you know (read Jawaharlal Nehru’s letters to his daughter Indira Gandhi).
  • Don’t try to impress your readers with big and difficult words. You will lose the flow and make a laughing stock of yourself.
  • Well, if you still have problem and think that you cannot write one-page, then write about 150 words.
  • Write in short, crisp sentences and small paragraphs (two or three lines)
  • Remember one thing, writing is all about practice
  • Assign a couple of hours everyday to writing something
  • A good attempt could be to start writing your diary, in an interesting way
  •  In seven to 10 days, you will notice the change. But you MUST BE VERY REGULAR.

  Cover the current parliamentary / assembly election:

  • Election in our country is like a Big Tamasha. It offers many colours, moods, scandals, masalas
  • There is no dearth of subjects, if you keep your eyes and ears open
  • Read two or three newspapers thoroughly
  • Make notes while reading
  • If there is something interesting, write about it, in simple language (your own language, don’t copy a word)
  • Don’t look at the article(s) while writing, no matter how strong the temptation
  • If you are happy with your work, honestly, send it to us
  • You may just write a few sentences and SMS it to us (25 to 100 words), if you see something startling, interesting
  •  It could be some interesting / odd thing that you may have noticed about your Neta and may like to share it with us
  • You may write short pieces (150 words to 300 words)
  • You may also click pictures and send it with captions to us
  • And if you can write anything in 400 words or more, then you may be sure that you are allowing the dormant writer within you to wake up

  What can you write about?

  Any issue that affects you:

  • EDUCATION
  • SOCIAL SECURITY
  • GOVERNANCE
  • CORRUPTION
  • RIGHT TO INFORMATION (RTI)
  • HUMAN RIGHTS
  • TERRORISM
  • COMMUNALISM
  • MAFIA RULE
  • CRIMINALIZATION OF POLITICS
  • MONEY AND POLITICS
  • WOMEN’S RIGHTS
  • BONDED LABOUR
  • CHILD TRAFFICKING
  • HEALTH SERVICES
  • POLICE & CRIME
    

    The options are endless (the list is suggestive, not exhaustive)

    You may also send us SNIPPETS – small write ups in 100 words or more about the election.
    You may also send us 10 words or more, if there is a major Breaking Story in your area.

    ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD BE FEATURED ON ‘MERINEWS – ELECTION 2009’ PAGE

    It’s your space. Let it find your voice!
    Join as a Citizen Journalist (CJ) – if you are already not one of our 10,000 CJ strong army.

    We will send The Citizens’ Manifesto to all political think tanks and parties.
    Write today. Write about the issues that concern you.
    What should you do?

    • Register yourself as a CJ
    • Send us  small write-ups / articles
    • You may also click pictures and send those to us with captions
    • Visit www.merinews.com and register as a CJ