Browsing by Author "Yonas, Nebiyu"

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    Self-Censorship Among Print Journalists in Ethiopian Government Media
    (Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Yonas, Nebiyu; Klement, Alice (Professor)
    In Ethiopia, where democracy is in its infancy and where press freedom is clearly stipulated but not freely implemented, journalists practice self-censorship. This, in fact, is a fairly typical experience for many journalists in many parts of the world. This particular research focuses on how Ethiopian journalists in state-owned print media censor themselves and why they do so. The study also discusses how such self-censorship impacts news articles and various stories and how this affects freedom of speech and of the press. This study employed questionnaires and individual in-depth interviews, using the snowball sampling method. Data were also thematically analyzed based on related literature reviews and interview responses. Journalists, both editors and reporters working in Ethiopian government media outlets, practice self-censorship, directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally. They define self-censorship differently, depending on their experiences and perceptions. Practicing self-censorship, they said, can be useful or harmful and even both, depending on issues reported, the situation, and the potential impact on the public. This study also indicates that journalists censor themselves mainly for political reasons but also for religious, cultural, economic and ethnic reasons, and out of fear of bosses, editors and government officials. They also practice self-censorship to be safe and to preserve jobs.