Journalism and Communication

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http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/96

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Browsing Journalism and Communication by Author "Abdissa Zerai"

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    Effectiveness of Communication Strategies of the Urban Health Extension Program in Bringing Behavioral Change in Habits of Hygiene and Sanitation: The Case of Woreda 1 (Kebele 01/18) of Lideta Sub-city – Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2013-01) Engdawork Demeke ; Abdissa Zerai
    These days, health is taken to be the product of the individual’s continuous interaction and interdependence with her/his ecosphere. Based on this belief, enabling people to increase control over and improve their health has been considerably given attention in health policies made nationally and internationally. One method to achieve this goal is a strategic health communication. This study is, therefore, primarily focused on the communication strategies employed by the Addis Ababa Health Bureau’s Urban Health Extension Program (UHEP) to bring behavioral change in the habits of hygiene and sanitation. Woreda 1 of Lideta Sub-city, in Addis Ababa, is deliberately chosen because it is one of the highly congested slums of the city where poor hygiene and sanitation is a severe problem. The major issues raised in this study are the communication strategies employed by the UHEP to change the community’s unhealthy hygiene and sanitation habits, and their effectiveness in building the audience’s self-efficacy and thereby developing healthy behaviors. Qualitative research method was basically used to deal with these issues, and an attempt to complement it with a quantitative one was made. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth individual interviews, participant observation and a questionnaire filled out by the UHEP’s target audience. Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), and especially his concept of Self3 efficacy, was used to analyze and discuss the data collected. The self-efficacy level of the targets was also measured by using Shwarzer and Jerusalem’s Generalized Self-Efficacy scale (GSE). As a result of the analysis, the study indicated that the major communication strategies of the UHEP are interpersonal channels assisted by demonstrations. Though mass media channels were also taken as part of the strategy, priority was given to printed materials like brochures. These materials were also found to be with very poor quality to appropriately transcend the messages they contained. Regarding their effectiveness, the communication strategies were found to be ineffective in building their target audience’s self-efficacy and thereby in achieving the intended change in behavior. This is attributed to the contents and the approach of the communication strategies. The majority of the UHEP’s models were found to have very low level of self-efficacy because the contents were informative in nature that they cannot build self-efficacy, and the approach was in a classroom lecture format. The study recommends exploitation of other channels like peer-to-peer and traditional communication channels, adequate budget allocation for mass media, and modification of contents in a way they would increase self-efficacy in order to make the program effective in the hygiene and sanitation package.
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    Media Convergence in Ethiopia: The Practice of Ethiopia Radio and Television Agency/ERTA/
    (Addis Ababa University, 2013-06) Zerihun Hailu ; Abdissa Zerai
    Literature on media convergence clearly shows that countries across the globe are entered into the new phenomenon. Ethiopia as a country and Ethiopia Radio and Television Agency as a media institution are experiencing convergence since 2001. However, little is known about the meaning and benefit of convergence. With the view to bridging this knowledge gap, the study aims at examining the experience of convergence in ERTA. In order to analyze the structure and change of ERTA newsroom and workflow, Diffusion of Innovations theory is used as a conceptual framework. A qualitative phenomenological study designed is also employed. What is more, an indepth interview was conducted with nine journalists from the three platforms including the management. In order to make up for the shortcomings of the in-depth interview, document analysisand participant observations were employed.Data was analyzed through thematic analysis. From the research analysis, the fmding is obtained that ERTA as a media institution is on the path to adopting a cross media platform, or is functioning at the level of newsroom 2.0, where collaboration and integration has occurred among the media platforms to gather and define the news contents for each platform. However, ERTA has not restructured the newsroom as a full convergence newsroom, which could integrate the high level of convergence. To do the changes and structure the newsroom and the work flow process, the management admits that they have faced some constraints in doing the convergence. Absence of medium specific leadership is the major hurdle for the newsroom. In order to maintain the brand as a strong national media company with diversity of voices, ERTA needs to go far better than where it is now.
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    The Practice and Challenges of Communication Employed by the Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission
    (Addis Ababa University, 2015-10) Firehiwot Senay ; Abdissa Zerai
    The aim of this study is to examine the practice and challenges of communication em pl oyed by the Federal Ethics and An ti-Corruption Commission (FEACC). In add ition to assess in g th e practice and challenges, the study also focused on identifying the strength, weaknesses and ga ps of the Conunissio n's communication practice. To this end, the study employed the two-way sy mmetrical public relations model as a theoretical framewo rk to inform the Shldy. A qualitative study design was used as the main method of research in order to in vestigate the practices and challenges of the communicati on practice of the Commission. In addition to the qualitative method, th e shld y also llsed a quantitative study design in order to triangulate the various sources of data during analysis. Under the qual it ative study design, document analysis, interview and observations were used, where as under tbe quantitative research design, questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Questionnaire respo ndents were selected by purposive and convenience sa mpling techn iques. QuestiOlmaires were d ist ributed among 100 respondents and 83 completed questionnaires (83%) were analyzed . In addition, interview was conducted wit h tour employees ancl one supervisor. The findings show that there have been challenges and gaps in the communication practi ce although some achievements were made. Disorganized communication practice that caused communication activities to be dispersed to different detriments; la<,;k of clear guide lines on
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    Social Media and Journalism: Journalists and Media Outlets’ Use of Social Media Networks in Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2015-06) Ameyu Etana ; Abdissa Zerai
    The study aims at examining social media and journalism with particular focus on journalists’ and media outlets’ use of social media networks in the Ethiopian context. The network society, public sphere, and network(ed) journalism theoretical frameworks were used to inform the study. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were adopted for the study where survey questionnaire, interview and observation were used as specific methods for gathering the data. A survey questionnaire was administered to 145 journalists selected through a random sampling technique, whereas in-depth interview was held with 17 journalists, editors, and media managers working at three media institutions. Furthermore, an email interview was conducted with a media researcher. An observation was also carried out by the researcher for gathering firsthand information, and descriptive statistics was employed to analyze the quantitative data. The finding shows that journalists use social media for various purposes, such as for getting a new idea, to stay connected to the world, for personal and professional development; however, journalists’ use of the social media for professional purpose is marred with challenges. Their participation in discussion on social media is not as much of and they have no demarcation for personal and professional use of social media. The infamous traditional problem of journalists – self censorship, has migrated to online with journalists due to the new discourse of fear – surveillance and censorship. Hence, journalists kept silent, mainly, consuming social media contents while media outlets provide. As off line media outlets are not encouraging journalists to use social media, the journalists are forced to adopt a dual identity: one identity for the social media and one identity for the mainstream media. The study also reveals that although there were differences in the use of social media among media outlets, they were not exploiting the opportunity as they ought to have been owing to various problems. What is more, the study shows that the rise of social media is posing a serious challenge to state-owned as well as private media institutions in Ethiopia. On the basis of such findings, the study has suggested pertinent recommendations with the view to coping up with the fast changing global media landscape.