Browsing by Author "Bogale, Mesfin"

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    A Comparative Analysis of the Coverage of NEBE in Addis Zemen and Reporter Newspapers BY MESFIN BOGALE
    (Addis Ababa University, 2005-12) Bogale, Mesfin; Jones, Nicola (PhD)
    These days, the role of media is vital in informing, educating, and controlling the malpractices of democratic institutions in any country, regardless of their level of development. But this importance becomes even more crucial in countries that are undergoing transitions to full-fledged democracies. As elections are the gateway to democracy, the role of the media should be prominent when it comes to covering elections. In this study, the researcher aimed to analyze and compare coverage by the government and the private press of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) while the May 2005 general elections were being conducted. To this effect, the researcher mainly used content analysis to investigate coverage of two purposely selected newspapers, the government-run Amharic daily, Addis Zemen, and the private biweekly Reporter, in order to examine the media’s role during elections, keeping in mind its watchdog and agenda setting roles. A total of 575 stories in 118 publications were reviewed. Supplementary to the quantitative data, qualitative data was collected through key informant interviews. Data was analyzed using an appropriate statistical tool (SPSS). Accordingly, Addis Zemen was found to be partisan to the government. In particular, editorials were found to be biased towards the NEBE. In contrast, Reporter was highly critical of the NEBE. It published stories that appeared more neutral and positive-toned. In light of the findings, the researcher concluded that Addis Zemen was unethical in the way it covered the May elections. The paper failed to meet professional standards. Based on the findings and reviewed literature, the researcher recommended that journalists working for the governmentaffiliated Addis Zemen needed to work towards impartiality, the core of journalistic ethics, in all kinds of reporting and particularly in such delicate matters as elections. One of the ways they could develop sensitivity to neutrality, it was recommended, would be by undergoing professional training in journalism.
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    Glocalization as a Challenge to the Legitmacy of Secession Right in the FDRE Constitution: The Case of Addis Ababa and Bahirdar
    (A.A.U, 2012-06) Taye, Meakdelawit; Bogale, Mesfin
    The present study examines the impact of the features of glocalization to the popular legitimacy of secession right in the Ethiopian constitution. The study participants are 37 youths from Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar city who are within the age range of 16-36 and who are at least engaged in formal education. Qualitative research methods were applied and data was collected from Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key informant in-depth interviews. In order to meet the objectives of the study, purposive sampling was used to select the discussant and key informants. The study revealed that the glocalization environment and identity of many of the participants contributed to their lack of consent to the constitutional right of secession. It further disclosed that the identity perception of participants got multiple and changeable because of their exposure to a glocalized lifestyle and therefore it became a challenge for them to rely on a fixed ethnic based identity categorization. The study found out that the political, social and economical perspectives of the participants were the outcome of their glocalized reality they face every day. Hence, although the secession right claimed to have a constitutional equalizing effect among ‘Nation, Nationalities and Peoples’ of Ethiopia, the study revealed that there are groups who do not categorize themselves based on a certain classification criteria applied to the right’s holders of the constitution. The study indicated that the socio political and economical causes driven by their glocalized demand resulted in their lack of legitimacy towards the secession clause.