Tabloidization in Perspective: An Assessment of Tabloid Practices in Ethiopia
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Date
2009-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The revolution that started globally as changes in the size and shape of newspapers has
brought along with it a particular genre marked by the focus towards less serious issues
and the treatment of serious issues lightly. In light of this, this study under the title of
Tabloidization in Perspective: an Assessment of Tabloid Practices in Ethiopia attempted
to gain insights into tabloid newspaper practices in Ethiopia through-the eyes of readers
and practitioners. The objectives were to find out prominent trends in tabloid newspapers,
the conceptualization of the public sphere, and the perception of tabloids by their readers
and different practitioners. The study has utilized qualitative methods of focus group
discussions with tabloid readers and individual in-depth interviews. Accordingly,
findings show that tabloids deal with serious issues such as politics and in terms of
diversifying voices in the political arena and for their entertaining values, they are praised
by their readers. Government journalists and some focus group participants on the other
hand argue that tabloids have the tendency to oppose the government and constantly
criticize its activities. It has been found out that they engage in journalistic malpractices
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to boost their businesses which are seen as crisis for democracy. Some of the trends as
pointed out by their readers and some journalists include sensationalism, invasion of
privacy, frequent use of anonymous sources, and the reduction of serious issues.
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Tabloidization in perspective