This study was conducted with the aim of investigating how human trafficking issue was framed by the selected newspapers in comparative perspective. Qualitative content analysis (textual analysis) used as a major approach. Further in-depth interview was conducted with six media professionals. The study employed framing theory and political economy of the mass media as the theoretical framework. Two newspapers-Addis Zemen from the government and Amharic Reporter from the private press were selected purposively as source of data. The research was conducted based on eleven-month time frame (from October 11th, 2013 up to February 9th, 2014 and February 10th 2015 up to August 6th 2015 and November 2014). The data from each newspaper were also gathered by following periods of special events like in 2013 more than hundred thousand Ethiopian human trafficking victims returned from Saudi Arabia due to ‘illegality' and in 2015 more than dozen of Ethiopian who travel Libya were slaughtered by ISIS. The study revealed that morality frame was the most predominant frame used by Addis Zemen whereas Amharic Reporter used attribution of responsibility dominantly. Both newspapers used solution frame almost similarly. Addis Zemen failed to use conflict frame in the framing of human trafficking stories whereas Amharic Reporter used conflict frame to report disagreement. Both Addis Zemen and Amharic Reporter was failed to give enough emphasis to internal trafficking rather they significantly emphasize on the external one. Moreover, there was no consistency and fair coverage of human trafficking issue in the selected time frame. In both newspapers variation has been seen in highlighting and emphasizing the causes. In Addis Zemen, broker initiatives or the act of trafficker made salient through repeating the same message Amharic Reporter mentioned diverse cause but poverty as cause appeared repeatedly. Addis Zemen utilized government sources dominantly. In contrast, Amharic Reporter relatively utilized researches and international human trafficking reports as sources of information. So, Addis Zemen reflects the view of the government in framing human trafficking stories, whereas Amharic Reporter relatively fair in framing the issue.