Browsing by Author "Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)"
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Item Attitudes of Journalists Towards The Practices of Sports Coverage in Ethiopian Television(Addis Ababa University, 2007-07) Yilkal, Fikir; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Television is a key medium for sports coverage; it allows fans to have instant access to the latest news about their favorite team, sport or event. Television journalists’ practices in covering sports have received very little or no attention in academic studies in Ethiopia. For that reason, this research examines how Ethiopian Television (ETV) sports journalists give coverage of sports within the context of the tight relationship of sports and the television media. In terms of sports reporting, some researchers in Ethiopia have tried to undertake projects especially in the working practices of some sports newspapers. However there are no studies on television sports coverage practices in Ethiopia. Key research questions that guided the study were: How do journalists analyze their own work? How was different sports covered? How do journalists handle conflicting situations between their professional journalistic responsibilities in covering sports and the interests of major sport stakeholders? How journalists handle the issue of cheerleading? What difficulties exist for television journalists in critically reporting on sports issues? Qualitative in depth interview method used to explore the attitudes of television sport journalists. Semi-structured in depth interviews with sports editors and reporters conducted. The researcher also used purposive sampling in the selection of informants. It was discovered that different ethical issues still apply to the practices of ETV’s sports coverage. Ethiopian television sport journalism is characterized by uncritical reports. Journalists tend to write stories, which are exposed to cheerleading and hero-worshipping. According to the group response continuous pressure and relationship with athletes, owners, officials and supporters made in depth reporting difficult for ETV sports journalists. Journalists felt the sport coverage in Ethiopian television inclined to football and it seems clear that the uneven coverage of different kinds of sports in ETV might have an effect on the development of other sports. Television sports journalists examined a lot of the structures and practices that shaped television sports texts. According to the opinions, even though sport is vital in the media in many ways lots of things need to be corrected in the process of reporting.Item Audience Reception Analysis of “BETEGNA” Radio Program: The case of Amhara Mass Media Agency(Addis Ababa University, 2011-05) Worku, Mustofa; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)The HIV/AIDS epidemic has affected millions of people all over the world. In most countries, the HIV epidemic is related to behaviors that expose individuals to the virus. And the media plays pivotal role in disseminating information and creating awareness about HIV/AIDS and other health related issues. One of the programs is 'Betegna' which works on the fight against HIV/AIDS and other health and social related issues. Audience Reception Analysis of 'Betegna' Radio Program: The case of Amhara Mass Media Agency seeks to describe how the program contents or messages are interpreted by the target audience and how relevant they are to the audiences. The study analyzed the access and use of media to determine audience's tuning habit, the relevance of the program to the audience, the language use, and interpretation or understanding of program contents were examined through focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and letters sent to the program producers. Four FGD which involved 25 participants were formed and the groups were arranged based on age. Most participants of the FGD used to be part of a listening group arranged by the program producers. In addition, three in-depth individual interviews were conducted with three program producers. The finding indicates that the time of transmission is a factor for less regularity of audiences. Audiences, also, believe that the duration of the program is too short. The other factor the study revealed is that low level of education affects the understanding of language. Those who are uneducated and whose level of education is less than high schools have faced difficulties of understanding the message of the radio program.Item Audience Satisfaction with Oromiatelevision Afan Oromo Programs(Addis Ababa University, 2011-06) Amante, Dawi; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)The study explores audiences' level of satisfaction on Oromia TV Afan Oromo programs. It also examines why the audience watch TVO in line with their program preference and content selection. In order to deal with the research problems and related concepts, the researcher had referred different related literature written on this topic. In relation to this different theoretical frame works and models related to media satisfaction were revised. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were utilized in the study. And two towns of Oromia regional state (Ambo and Adama ) were purposely selected as study area. Besides editor and audience research department workers were interviewed to make the study more reliable. The findings, revealed audiences' level of satisfaction with TVO Aflin Oromo programs is very low. They showed their dissatisfaction with the overall services of the medium. But still the majority of the respondents prefer to view this channel for the affection of the language. On the other hand when it comes to program preference they preferred to view entertainment programs than other issues. Besides they expressed their satisfaction with some programs like Dorgadorge(Q&S) and daddaraaro(Oromia idol) programs .Likewise they stated their dissatisfaction with TVO news and Ardaa marii (talk shaw) programs. According to the result of the study,TVOromia Afan Oromo programs were unable to satisfy their audiences by producing and transmitting programs that go with the needs and interest of its audience.Item Audiences Reception of the Anti-Corruption Television Spots(Addis Ababa University, 2009-10) Worku, Kibrewosen; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Corruption has been one of the major factors affecting the social, moral, political and mainly economical aspects of developing countries including Ethiopia. In order to avoid the harm being caused by this practice, creating an aware society can be taken as a first step. For achieving this purpose TV spots are being produced by the Federal Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission. And it is important to know how meaning is been made and what the audiences reception towards these TV spots is. As central to this study, how audiences make meaning out of the TV spots and the factors contributing for reception process are dealt. For refereeing as frame works, facts about corruption are presented to provide a compiled contextual picture of the case both in international and national level. Comparative with other audience- message – media theories the active audience theory, which emphases on the audiences involvement in reception process, is used as a theoretical frame of the study. Qualitative research method, which is believed to be appropriate for audience reception studies, is used as a methodology. Textual analysis, focus group discussions and in-depth interview are deployed to undertake the study. Sampling of the TV spots to be textually analyzed is performed based on the time intervals in which the TV spots are broadcasted. And samples for comprising respondents were formed standing from the TV spots content and from the encoder‟s information. The results of this study revealed that the previous attitude and understanding corruption plays a major in the meaning making process. Their lived experiences also highly contribute in shaping the respondents attitude towards the TV spots and the message they contained. In addition to this, the TV spots corruption type coverage, message features, language clarity and characters selection contribute a lot in meaning formation.Item Communication Strategies in Child Feeding With Reference to Essential Service For Health in Ethiopia (ESHE) Operation Areas: The Case Of Haramaya Woreda(Addis Ababa University, 2007-07) Woyessa, Temesgen; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Exploring the communication strategies employed by an international non-governmental organization (NGO) ESHE-Oromia (Essential Service for Health in Ethiopia), operating in three Regional States-Oromia, Amhara and South Nation Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) to promote child feeding as an integral part of its child survival project. The study primarily focused on Information, Education and Communication (IEC) System EHSE-Oromia was employing to create awareness of the community on child feeding. The major issues raised in the study were socio-cultural barriers that hinder particularly exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding, communication strategies employed to promote child feeding, appropriateness of contents of the messages intended to reach the target groups and lesson that could be learned from the project. Data were collected through Qualitative type of research methods designed. Using semi-structured guiding questions for Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), individual in depth interview and participants' observation, the data were collected. In rare cases informal discussions were also held to seal the gaps where the needs arisen. The study was based in Haramaya Woreda, East Hararghe Zone in Oromia Regional State. The qualitative data gathered from the two villages - Finkille and Tinike Peasant Associations (PAs) of Haramaya woreda were qualitatively analyzed and discussed based on the fundamental theories employed in the study: participatory, development and the two-step flow of communications and the research questions raised in the study. Accordingly, the study indicates that the major communication strategies exploited by ESHE-Oromo and most favored by the community was interpersonal communication. Radio-Harar, which was mostly accessed by the community, was unnoticed. Further more, the most favored places to exchange in formation were found to be market, wedding ceremonies, mourning ceremonies and other social gatherings like Afosha (mini self help associations). On the other hand, discarding colostrums and giving butter to newborn babies as a medicine were found to be some of the major harmful traditional practices in the study areas. Failure of consistent follow-up of the activities of volunteer community Health Promoters (CHPs) and employment of pictures that does not represent the community at the study sites were also some of the problems the study revealed.Item A Comparative Study of State and Private FM Radio Journalists’ Job satisfaction: A case of FM Addis 97.1 and Fana FM 98.1(Addis Ababa University, 2011-05) Berihu, Sisay; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)This study aims to investigate the level of journalists’ job satisfaction working in both state and private FM radio stations. FM Addis 97.1 and Fana FM 98.1 were taken as samples from state and Private FM stations respectively. A total of 43 journalists participated in the survey. The required data was collected using questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). A job satisfaction questionnaire consisting open and close-ended items was employed. Seven job satisfaction subscales and journalists’ demography was included in the questionnaire. Two groups of journalists, with 10 individuals each; participated in FGD in two sessions. The results are analyzed and interpreted using SPSS software version 15. The scores are interpreted quantitatively. FGD comments and open-ended suggestions are interpreted qualitatively. The study indicates that the job satisfaction level of state and private FM stations’ journalists were found moderately dissatisfied and satisfied respectively. Thus, the job satisfaction level is higher in private stations. The overall mean of journalists’ job satisfaction level is 3.5 at ascale of 5.00. In isolation, journalists from state station scored 3.68 and those from private station lower by 1.13(i.e. 2.5). This indicates private FM journalists are better in job satisfaction level. 66.7% of private journalists are satisfied in their job while 52% of state owned FM journalists are dissatisfied. In addition, the study found that there is a weak relationship between journalists’ job satisfaction and their demographic variables. The strength of the correlation between the variables is found significantly weak. The results suggest the need of various corrective measures in both stations (more in state owned) to enhance journalists’ job satisfaction.Item Coverage of Corruption in the Ethiopian Print Media: The Ethiopian Herald. The Reporter, Fortune and Capital in focus.(Addis Ababa University, 2015-02) Ayele, Nakachew; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Thi s study intends to look at the ro le of print media In the fight agai nst corruption In Ethiopia by focusing on coverage. Both quantitative and qualitative methodology were used to analyze the data. Content analysis was employed as a main method. In depth interviews were also made wi th edi tors and journalists of the newspapers. Agenda selling and social responsibi lity theories were used as theoretical framework . To gather the data for the content analysis, five month's editions of the fo ur newspapers (The Ethiopian Herald, The Reporter, Fortune and Capital) spanning from May 13 ,20 13 to September 13,2013 was taken as samples of the study. All corruption related stories found were coll ected and content analyzed. The analysis was made based on the type, theme, source and placement of stories. The data found from the interviews were used to back up the anal ys is. The result of the study reveals that all the newspapers gave considera ble coverage to corruption issues. The newspapers coverage of corruption was dominated by news genre. Most of the articles were informative rather than educative. Fraud was the leading form of corruption themes. In terms of source used, even though there were differences among the newspapers, law enforcement bodies served as their major sources of corruption stories. Regarding placement, The Reporter was better in placing corruption related issues on its front page than Capital, Fortune and The Ethiopian Herald. Based on the slUdy, a couple of recommendations that might help to lessen the li mi tatio ns of the press are suggested.Item Cross-Cultural Reception Analysis of Selected Commercials on Ethiopian Television (ETV) Amharic Program(Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Alemu, Yonathan; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)The role of advertising in market economy is to inform as well as educate consumers about products and services. To achieve these goals, advertisers employ a variety of cultural values in their appeals. Today one of the most contested issues in advertising strategies is the role of culture. The main focus of this study is the role of culture in media messages and the reception of them. How Ethiopian audiences draw on local or western cultural resources or a combination of the two, in their meeting with different media texts will be central. A qualitative research method is often considered the most appropriate in audience reception studies, and this was also the case here in this study. The study follows a three stage qualitative approach; which include qualitative content analysis, focus group interviews and in-depth interviews with individual viewers. For this study, a two stage sampling technique was used for selecting commercials to be content analyzed. The first stage comprised the selection of specific time intervals when ads are broadcasted; two different segments of prime time (prime time I and II) were selected. In the second stage, twenty commercials for food and drinks that were running during the six months’ research period were randomly selected. Regarding the audience sampling, a purposive sampling technique was followed. Audiences categorized to be among the target audiences were purposively selected. The qualitative content analysis of the selected commercials revealed that western values are predominantly recurring themes, rather than more local or traditional themes. A central reason was given by the advertising agencies, which argued that western values were much more powerful and had a more homogenizing effect than the local values. With regard to the audience, it appeared that audiences, regardless of their level of education, are active and powerful in the meaning making process and reshape the content of media messages. The study also explored how external factors like social context, age, marital status, and personal contact are present in the processes of meaning making of ads which reflect either western or traditional Ethiopian values.Item Development Communication in Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP): The Case of Ganta Afeshum, Tigray(Addis Ababa University, 2009-06) Gebremedhin, Mengistu; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)This paper studies the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP)—one of the Food Security Strategies in Ethiopia that provides food and cash transfer to chronically food insecure woredas of the country through direct support and public works—in terms of the dependent attitude it develops in participants of two communities of Ganta Afeshum Woreda at Eastern zone of Tigray. It also examines the communication model and strategies employed to avert this effect. Convenience sampling technique was used to select the places, and purposive sampling technique to select the informants. With regard to data collection, qualitative observation, and focus group and individual in-depth interviews were employed to see how participatory communication model, and multiple and appropriate communication strategies are functioning in the Public Works. The communication model and strategies are taken as the concerns of this paper because they help participants to feel the ownership of the projects, identify problems and act on them. However, the Productive Safety Net Program is not fully exploiting these communication approaches and strategies in its Public Works program. In terms of participation, encouraging moves are seen in the study area though the society’s culture and local authorities’ motives make fully harvesting its fruits hard. In terms of communication strategy, however, the program lacks clearly defined and appropriate communication strategies with which to tackle problems. Consequently, dependency of participants on the income from the Public Works program is found to be the prevailing problem in the area. Thus, the overall result of the study shows that lack of appropriate communication strategies and limited participatory level of the society in the Public Works programs as causing the people not to be committed to the work and not to be able to withdraw from dependent attitude.Item Effectiveness of Health Posters in Awareness Creation and Promoting Behavior Change. A Case Study of UNICEF’s Billboards: Addis Ababa(Addis Ababa University, 2005-12) Kebede, Lulit; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)This study is designed to examine how effectively UNICEF’s billboards in Addis Ababa communicate health message. In other words it looks into whether the billboards are designed in a way the audience understands them. It also explores the strategy employed to design health posters and billboards. Since the major concern of the research is to know how effectively the billboards transmit the intended message towards the audience, 120 respondents are randomly selected as research participants. Questionnaire is used as a major datagathering instrument. Besides, to substantiate the study UNICEF’s communication planners and programme officers as well as health workers in Family Health International (FHI) are purposively selected. Interview is conducted with UNICEF’s communication planners and programme officers while focus group discussion is made among FHI health workers. Accordingly, the data gathered is analyzed by using different methods of data analysis, like: descriptive approach for qualitative data and using frequency and percentage for quantitative data. The result shows that unsuccessful message transmission of UNICEF’s billboards is related significantly with inadequate skill of message designing proficiency of UNICEF’s communication planners. Generally, it is noted that the target audiences have not participated in message designing and in the decision process, which contributes for unsuccessful message transmission. This result of the study, therefore, proves unsuccessful communication flow through UNICEF’s billboards.Item Effects of Satellite Television on Youth in Addis Ababa: A Comparative Study Between Heavy and Light Viewers(Addis Ababa University, 2011-06) Youssuf, Rahwa; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)This study investigates the “effect of satellite television on the life patterns of youth in Addis Ababa” through survey using Questionnaire and Qualitative individual in-depth interview as a tool of data collection. It targeted 77 youth viewing satellite television aged 15-29 years. The study recorded the respondent’s consumption patterns, level of viewing, preferred channels and programs. It crossed checked the above factors with the level of viewing. The major hypothesis studied was “the greater the exposure to satellite television the greater the impact on the lives of youth.” The sub-hypothesis included ‘heavy viewing has greater effect on their activities, family and social interaction patterns and cultural practices. And they are more influenced by the television characters especially depicting western youth than the light viewers. And it is proved by applying chi-square test that there a significant association between level of viewing and level of effect. The general findings revealed that heavy viewing affected persona activities of the youth like studying, newspaper and book reading, going to local cinema, the meals serving schedule, their interaction with family, friends, neighbors and relatives it also affects the youth style and appearance and heavy viewers show greater change on their cultural practices. The study also identified a few areas for future researchers and made recommendations towards their improvement.Item An Exploration Of Vocabulary Teaching in Primary Schools With Special Reference to Grades One and two(Addis Ababa University, 1998-06) Achame, Berhane; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)The study is carried out in primary schools, which have not been given due attention. More specifically, it attempts to explore the teaching of vocabulary in grades one and two. The subjects of the study, teachers as well as students, are from old and well established government primary schools in Addis Ababa. The data for the study are collected from a questionnaire, classroom observations, interviews and a vocabulary test. First, data are collected from the questionnaire distributed to teachers. Then teachers are interviewed on their use of the different techniques of vocabulary teaching. Subsequently, teachers are observed teaching vocabulary. Students are also asked what their reaction to vocabulary teaching is, after the observations. Finally, students are given a vocabulary test to find out how effective the techniques used by teachers in teaching vocabulary are. The data collected from the questionnaire, the classroom observations and the test are seen in relation to one another to find out which techniques are more frequently used and more effective in teaching the meaning of words in grades one and two. The findings show that pictures, picture cards, blackboard drawings and real objects are more frequented and effective techniques of vocabulary teaching in grades one and two. On the bases of these findings, it is recommended that, since they are teaching young children, teachers in grades one and two should use real objects (realia) as most of the vocabulary items in the syllabi can be better taught this way.Item An Exploratory Study on News Sources Use in Case of Amharic Private Newspapers(Addis Ababa University, 2011-06) Dessie, Eshetu; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)The first duty of the press is to obtain the earliest information and to provide the public with trustworthy events which are timely and instantly. News is the major genre of newspaper, where its name and its readability, derives. News making is possible through news sources. Often times regarding news making, who said what become more important than what was said or the maker of the news is more important than the news itself. One the major news related challenges today are the issue of credibility. People who are interested in news from newspapers are in search of what is accurate and reliable. For this reason, Exploring news sources use in case of private Amharic newspapers attempts to highlight how far journalists cross check or verify the sources of information for being credible and the study also identifies the types of sources used. These things alone cannot determine the incompetence of journalistic practices since news that reach to the readers has been decided long before. As a result, the study assesses factors which influence news sources use. The study uses gate keeping and social responsibility theories as supportive ideas. In the process, the study selects the same numbers of news from all newspapers using simple random sampling techniques so as to quantify and check how journalists verify sources of information and to identify the types of news sources used. Interviews are made with reporters and editors as a means of assessing the factors that influence the news sources use. The study has the following findings: that are; the private newspapers have limitation in cross checking or verification of information and they frequently use organizations as a sources of information which is on form of veiled attribution. Finally, ownership, lack of resources, the nature of environment out the newsroom and frustration of legal restrictions are factors which influence news sources use.Item Feedback in the Efl Classroom: an Exploration of its Role in The Communica Non of Teacher Expect a Tions(Addis Ababa University, 2000-06) Mohammed, Nuru; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)lowe a great debt of heartfelt gratitude to so many people for their contributions that I cannot thank them all personally, but [ would particularly like to thank following. I am deeply indebted to Professor Keith Johnson, my supervisor on the Lancaster University side, for his insightful and critical comments on the drafts of my chapters. [ consider myself lucky and privileged to have done this work under his supervi sion. Special thanks, too, are due to Dr Gebremedhin Simon, my supervisor on the Addis Ababa University side, for his constructive comments and constant encouragement. I should like to thank all those teachers and their pupils who so kindly suffered my presence in the classroom and put up with the numerous questions that I had to ask during the interview and in the questionnaire. The project would have been impossible without The British Council who financed my study in the UK. Finally, I must thank my wife, Rahma Tirfu, tor her encouragement, and our children, Feti ya, Mubarak, and Aziza for bearing my absence.Item How Elt Teachers Cope With Large Classes With Particular Reference to Grade 10 Teachers(Addis Ababa University, 1995-06) Shifere, Kassie; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Item Influence of Editors on Food Security Coverage in The Ethiopian Private Newspapers: Focus on the Reporter, Capital and Fortune Newspapers(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Arefaine, Senait; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Ethiopia had been facing the challenges of ensuring food security for decades. The challenge is still with us. As a result, programs aimed at poverty alleviation, poverty reduction and food security have been prepared and implemented by successive regimes. The significance of the efforts is such that they deserve the best media coverage they could get – for, the successful implementation of the programs as well as the overall efforts requires that they should be brought to the attention of stakeholders, especially the public. And this is the prerogative of the editors, who determine the content of newspapers. The importance of editors in the press is hard to overemphasize. It is the editors that decide the content of the newspapers and the stories that get published and read by the public. Behind the important roles that the media plays – from informing the public to agenda-setting – there are the editors that do the decisions on what to inform and what kind of agenda to set for the public. The decisions of the editors, in their turn, are shaped by several factors, including beliefs, ideologies and values – personal as well as social. These are among the host of variables that influence the overall perspective of analysis and content of the whole newspaper and individual stories. This study attempts to investigate the factors that promote or hinder the editor form offering the necessary coverage that food security issues deserve. It specifically tried to look into the attitude and knowledge of private newspapers editors.Item The Influence of Political Authorities on Political News Reports in ‘Addis Zemen’ and ‘The Reporter’: A Comparative Study(Addis Ababa University, 2008-10) Kebede, Yetenayet; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Ethiopian media industry is hampered by various factors, one of which is the influence coming from political authorities. The constitution of the country has clearly enshrined freedoms of speech and of the press. However, on the ground, these freedoms have not been translated the way they are provided for in the constitution. This study is aimed at evaluating the presence of this influence of political authorities that is seen as hampering the independent political news reporting of two national Amharic newspapers -‘Addis Zemen’ and ‘The Reporter’. To achieve this, the study has made a comparison on the variations, degree, particular nature and relative impact of the influences on the two papers. The study will show that the influence of political authorities, though unavoidable in any part of the world, is seriously damaging the political news reporting of Ethiopian media. This in particular is constraining the independent role of the state owned ‘Addis Zemen.’ The private owned ‘The Reporter’, on the other hand, though still impacted by the influence, is performing better and is trying to contribute to the national democratizations efforts. Generally speaking, the study has identified this influence of political officials as a hindrance on the constitutional Freedoms of Speech and of the Press, as well as on the public’s right to know.Item Institutionalizing a Media Self – Regulatory Body In Ethiopia: Challenges and Prospects(Addis Ababa University, 2011-04) Tabor, Solomon; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)The study has attempted to unearth the challenges and prospects of institutionalizing a media self-regulatory body in Ethiopia. media in-house code of conduct is also a subset of this study. In addition, the study discusses how media self-regulation is strongly attached to freedom of expression. As outlined in chapter two of the study various literatures and the experiences of some countries were taken as a bench mark and nucleus of discussion. The study employed both qualitative, individual in-depth interview and document analysis, and quantitative, structured questionnaires, research methods. Data were thematically analyzed based on related literature reviews, in-depth interviews and findings from questionnaires. Journalism is a profession that highly demands freedom of expression. Freedom to seek, receive and impart information are the backbones or the cornerstones for every single activities of the profession. Freedom of expression is clearly stipulated in the constitution of FDRE and subsequent press proclamations. The outcome of the study illustrates that, there are inhibiting factors which strangled the establishment of an independent and inclusive media self-regulatory body in Ethiopia. The polarization of the government and the private press, the existence of weak and fragile journalists’ associations, the disagreement among the private press, financial deficiency and little awareness about media self-regulation has made the establishment of a media selfregulatory body in Ethiopia very remote. The findings of the study also indicate that in-house codes of conduct do exist in many media organizations, but they are not put into practice and neither there is an enforcing mechanism. As individual in-depth interviews revealed in-house regulation of media houses is very poor and the codes do remain only on paper. Still codes of conducts are violated and even do not referred while producing any form of journalistic outputs.Item Interactive Features in Online Journalism: A Look at Online Editions of Ethiopian Newspapers(Addis Ababa University, 2015-12) Motbinor, Tsgabu; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Interactivity is an integral part of online journalism. It allows active participation of users/readers and demands a two-way (or multi-directional) model of communication. With the interactive features of new media, the receiver is recognized as an active participant. According to Shultz, (2000) the internet provides a potential for more interactive communication, but most of the traditional mass media industries do not seem to use online interactive features. This study aims at exploring online interactive features that are available in online editions of seven Ethiopian newspapers. The newspapers were Addis Zemen, Reporter and Addis Admass Amharic newspapers as well as Ethiopian Herald, The Reporter, Addis Fortune and Capital English newspapers. The study employed both quantitative content analysis and qualitative semistructured interviews to collect the data. And, in order to construct measurable categories of analysis, the concept of interactivity was broken down using Heeter's (1989) six specific and measurable dimensions of interactivity. Each online edition of the newopapers was coded for the presence or absence of 46 specific interactive elements. Findings revealed that the online editions of the newspapers have attempted to incorporate interactive features, but not effectively utilized to the extent that relevant literature indicates. In addition to this, interviews with online newspaper editors explored their knowledge of interactivity and reasons for adopting or not adopting interactive features. The newspapers' editors are aware of the interactive features but were experiencing problems with incorporating such interactive features online. They claim that budget constraints, internet connection failures and shortage of skilled man power were the factors that hinder them in developing their online editions. Generally, this study found out a very low level of interactivity in the online editions of Ethiopian newspapers. It is essential that online editions of Ethiopian newspapers cultivate a culture of thought that have a practical bearing on the offering of active and effective interactive features on their sites. It is also especially imperative that their offering of interactive tools highlights an understanding of the significance of such interactive features and develops beyond a mere availability in to an extensive and effective utilization of such tools.Item Journalistic Ethics in the Newsroom: The Case of the Amhara Mass Media Agency(Addis Ababa University, 2012-06) Eshetu, Wolelaw; Simon, Gebremedhin (PhD)Journalistic ethics is a key issue of concern among not only journalists and journalism educators but also the general public, and particularly so in a transitional society. So, in the time of information society, getting ethical journalists in all media house is indispensible for the people to exercise the right to know the truth. As one can easily guess, truth or information is a power and gives people a big power. This power can transform the society in to a new level of development. Ethical journalists are the one who facilitate this power to be used by the people. When journalists become unable to accomplish this role, the society will lose the trusts and label journalists or the profession as a whole untrustworthy and dishonesty. However, the media have the responsibility of serving the people by providing fair, balanced and accurate stories in a responsible manner. So, this thesis aims at exploring the state of journalistic ethics in the newsroom of the Amhara mass media agency. In the newsroom, journalists (reporters) do not give due attention to journalistic ethical principles needed in the newsroom. That some people are heard complaining about journalistic ethics are violated and affected by journalist own biases, personal interest, subjective judgments and the like are the main factors of it. Thus, ethical issues and news credibility may be neglected. So, the researcher tries to identify ethical problems, observed in the newsroom in the case of the Amhara mass media agency. The study is conducted in Amhara mass media agency‟s newsroom. The researcher gathered data through individual in-depth interview and focus group discussion with Amhara mass media newsroom‟s editors and reporters (journalists) respectively. Moreover, to attain the research objective easily and reach at valid findings, the study tries to use the researcher‟s own observation. The results show that the major respondents have said; fairness and balanced reporting, objectivity, social responsibility and conflicts of interest are affected by different ways in the newsroom. In this particular research topic the researchers also able to find many details for internal and external factors of journalists that influence ethical decision making process in the newsroom. Those are: individual, small group (editors, managers, or colleagues), organizations, professional problems, economic factors, psychological factors, and self-censorship of journalists. Based on the finding, therefore, the researcher recommends the media stakeholders to work more on professional journalistic ethics, confident, responsible and skilled journalists are needed in the newsroom.
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