Investigation of factors affecting war journalists’ reporting accuracy and credibility in war zone: The case of the war between Ethiopian Federal Forces and their allies and the TPLF forces.
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Date
2022-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The practice of war reporting is tough challenge task to media house professionals due to the pursuit of access to information of situations. The general aim /objective of the study is to assess factors affecting journalists reporting accuracy and credibility in war zone. to achieve this objectives, mixed research methods was employed. The study was conducted on Walt TV and EBC (Ethiopian Broad Cast agency). The researcher attempted to address three basics research questions: How did the two Ethiopian broadcasting agencies EBC and Walta TV war journalists cover the war between the Ethiopian Federal Government forces and the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) forces? What sources did they use while reporting about the war? To what extent did these television stations differ in their coverage of the war? Purposive sampling techniques were employed to select sample from the population, 40 journalists were involved in the study. Only
32 questionnaires collected back. Interview, focus group discussion (FDG) and Questionnaire were the instruments utilized to gather data. The data collected were analysed and interpreted using tables, pie graph and Line charts. From the study, the researcher found out that, despite factors are many in number majorly network barrier, poor news source availability, absence of pre-war psychological trainings, deny of life insurance endorsement, short of logistics, absences and short of journalists‟ common gear materials and equipment, dispatch small number of journalists, pressure of politically individuals and poor local area cooperation are listed as reasons for the cause affect accuracy and credibility of reports from the war zone.based on these findings, the researcher concludes that, media house deployed faced multi-dimensional draw backs to report and transmit news about the war. Meanwhile they experienced major difficulties that need serious attention to arrange and correct. Thus, it is recommended that media house; Walta TV and EBC should revise well the overall conflict reporting structures. Fulfill the pre requisite, for example offer trainings, assign more human resource (war Journalists), present equipment and gear materials and endorse life insurance. Meanwhile, should reject any politically affiliated group pressure and should not air/present unbalanced report can minimize problems experienced so that the news will be fresh, fair and reliable.
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Ethiopian Broad Cast agency