AKEED, Amman

Electoral slogans have received considerable media attention because they are a fundamental part of election campaigns. The Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor (AKEED) has followed what was published by the print and electronic media on the electoral slogans of candidates to the 18th Lower House of Parliament during the election campaign period.

AKEED observed that the media followed the subject on two levels: On the one hand, it reported what social media activists were saying about the slogans they read and saw, and, on the other, it published many items on the content of these slogans, highlighting what is present and what is missing.

Some media took note of the fact that social media pages provided extensive coverage, which included details of linguistic and grammatical mistakes in the slogans. This provided material fit for ridicule and sarcasm. Activists exchanged these and added to them. This was reported by the media since it reflects part of public opinion. We should note here that the media did not report what activists clearly said. Activists did not hesitate to use names and pictures, while the media were cautious, reported general comments, and referred their readers to social media. In this field, we read:

Mistakes of Slogans of Election Candidates Main Preoccupation of Social Media Sites

Grammatical Mistakes and "Mansaf" Blowing Minds; "Facebookers" Looking For Mistakes on Election Banners

Paradox of Jordanian Elections…Grammatical Mistakes and "Mansaf" and Making Fun of Advertisements

Electoral Banners: Visual Distortion and Platitudes

As for the content of the slogans, many media outlets criticized the slogans for not being realistic and election platforms for not addressing the concerns of the public. One report criticized the slogan of "Liberating Jerusalem and Andalusia," which was reported by an international agency.

Al Sabeel newspaper asked economists about their opinions of the economic slogans of candidates. The economists said that these slogans promote the causes of economic problems without offering any realistic solutions. Meanwhile, Al Dustour daily addressed the absence of cultural issues and wrote a piece under the headline: Intellectuals Deplore Absence of Culture From Platforms and Agendas of Candidates to Parliamentary Elections. Al Ghad newspaper published a report on candidates" slogans in the Madaba governorate under the headline: Experts: Political and Cultural Content Absent From Platforms of Candidates in Madaba. Meanwhile, a number of mayors spoke about the absence of service issues, improvement of regions, and development projects, which provide job opportunities for youth, from the slogans of most candidates. In a fourth report, Al Rai newspaper interviewed several members of political parties, who pointed out that some lists are performing solo, reflecting a tribal, religious, or sectarian character. This distracts voters vis-à-vis the slogans that are raised. They added that electoral slogans are clichés and do not meet the ambitions of voters.

In general, the media focused on the unrealistic nature of slogans. However, they did not go further by referring to the changes witnessed in the election campaign through these slogans and did not provide the explanation that the public is expecting or awaiting. In this regard, we see the following items, which were either articles or editorial items:

Electoral Slogans Between What Is Declared and Unrealistic on the Table of Nabd Al Balad (Talk Show on Roya TV)

Calligraphers Decide Electoral Slogans - Article

Candidates" Slogans…General Headlines Removed From Reality and Out of Touch With Concerns of Citizens

Elections…Where Are Slogans Imported From? Article  

Opinions: Candidate Slogans Election Clichés Dusted Off - Video Report

Slogans That Have No Taste - Article

Electoral Advertising Banners: Worn-Out Slogans and Clichés That Are Unconvincing

Loose Slogans of Electoral Lists

"Environmental Ignorance" Common Feature of Slogans and Platforms of Candidates to Parliamentary Elections - Article

Electoral Advertisements: "Hollywoodian" Slogans Appealing to Sentiments of Citizens

Candidates" Slogans: Hard-To-Achieve Official Protocol…Expert in Psychology: Do Not Believe Them

AKEED has observed that some media drew attention to the issues that were missing from electoral slogans. This is one of the core tasks of media establishments. A report in Al Sabeel newspaper observed that the slogans focused on local issues and ignored Arab issues. Al Ghad noted in one of its reports that the slogans avoided speaking about the issue of terrorism. In another report, the newspaper said that campaigns were confined to personal advertising. Al Rai wrote a piece under the following headline: "Water" Absent From Slogans: Water Stability or Lack of Electoral Visions.

The monitoring observed that newspaper coverage of the question of slogans in election campaigns was not confined to the capital. Al Ghad published a report from Ajloun about candidates neglecting slogans about issues that affect their daily life. A report from Irbid observed that campaigns did not have platforms and focused on individual pictures. The same newspaper published a report from Madaba headlined: Repeated Electoral Slogans Without Political Content. Al Sabeel published a report from Ajloun headlined: "Poverty, Youth, and Future Top Issues of Election Campaigns."

Among the reports that addressed the remaining governorates, we read the following, while noting that the links do not necessarily indicate the original source of the item:

Maan: Absence of Service Issues From Slogans of Candidates

Key Slogans of Candidates to Parliamentary Elections

Slogans of Candidates to Lower House of Parliament (Article)

Aqaba: Slogans With No Impact on Convictions of Voters

Slogans of Liberating Palestine Highlight of Election Campaign of Khalil Atiyah

Women in Bedouin Region…Realism in Electoral Slogans

Elections in Jordan: What Is in the "Pot" Is Removed by the "Ladle" (Article)

Daeshism in Parliamentary Elections (Article)

Development and Services Top Electoral Slogans in Southern Bedouin Region

Obviously, the media, in its election coverage, took note of the key role played by slogans in election campaigns as a means of introducing candidates and their election platforms and the objectives that they will seek to achieve. However, it is noticeable that most items on this issue were either published in the newspapers or carried by the official news agency (Petra), while electronic sites were satisfied with republishing, mentioning the source sometimes and ignoring it on other occasions.