This paper presents an overview of the main challenges to the integration of media development in electoral assistance programming. Despite widespread acknowledgement that the media is critical to electoral processes, and that it has the potential to impact voter behaviour, electoral assistance providers do not consistently prioritize its integration into their work. International IDEA identifies several obstacles to the integration of media support into international electoral assistance programmes, which can be grouped into three main categories: a lack of clarity regarding the definition and role of the media in the electoral process, the politically sensitive nature of the media and the failure of many organizations to plan projects well in advance of election day.