ELECTORAL ACT ____________________________________________________________________________________ 160I Publication of electoral information in public interest (1) If required to do so by the Commission, broadcasters and print publishers shall publish statements issued by the Commission for the purpose of informing voters about aspects of the electoral process. (2) The Commission shall pay for the publication of any statement referred to in subsection (1) such reasonable amount as may be agreed between it and the broadcaster or print publisher concerned. 160J Conduct of news media during election period (1) Subject to subsection (2), during an election period broadcasters and print publishers shall ensure that— (a) all political parties and candidates are treated equitably in their news media, in regard to the extent, timing and prominence of the coverage accorded to them; (b) reports on the election in their news media are factually accurate, complete and fair; (c) a clear distinction is made in their news media between factual reporting on the election and editorial comment on it; (d) inaccuracies in reports on the election in their news media are rectified without delay and with due prominence; (e) political parties and candidates are afforded a reasonable right of reply to any allegations made in their news media that are claimed by the political parties or candidates concerned to be false; (f) their news media do not promote political parties or candidates that encourage violence or hatred against any class of persons in Zimbabwe; (g) their news media avoid language that— (i) encourages racial, ethnic or religious prejudice or hatred; or (ii) encourages or incites violence; or (iii) is likely to lead to undue public contempt towards any political party, candidate or class of person in Zimbabwe. [Subsection amended by s. 29 of Act No. 6 of 2018] (2) The Commission may, after consultation with the Minister, by notice in the Gazette, activate the operation of subsection (1) and of any specified provision of this Part before an election period, so, however, that subsection (1) and the specified provisions take effect from any specified date on or after the beginning of the period of six months before the end of the five-year term of Parliament as specified in section 143 of the Constitution. [Subsection inserted by s. 29 of Act No. 6 of 2018] 160K Monitoring of media by Commission (1) The Commission, with the assistance, at its request, of the Zimbabwe Media Commission established by section 248 of the Constitution, and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe established by section 3 of the Broadcasting Services Act [Chapter 12:06] (No. 3 of 2001), shall monitor the Zimbabwean news media during any election period to ensure that political parties, candidates, broadcasters, print publishers and journalists observe the provisions of this Part. [Subsection amended by s. 48 of Act No. 6 of 2014] (2) In its post-election report the Commission shall include a report on the coverage of the election by the news media, for which purpose the Zimbabwe Media Commission and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe will furnish the Commission with such information and reports as the Commission may request. (3) This section shall not be construed as preventing anyone other than the Zimbabwe Media Commission from monitoring news media and reporting on their conduct during an election period. [Part XXIB inserted by s. 34 of Act No. 3 of 2012] 129