Tthe Constitutionality of Enacting Media Law of National Application by the Federal Legislature in Ethiopia
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Date
2018-02
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Addis Ababa
Abstract
Division of legislative power of the state between the fede ral government and the tonstituent
states is one of the essential aspects in the Ethiopian federal arrangement. This thesis
investigates the legislative constitutional competence of the federal legislature for enacting
Media laws of national application in Ethiopia. The issue at the heart of the thesis is that the
constitution has not clearly assigned the legislative jurisdiction in relation to media laws.
The FDRE Constitution has provided enumerated and limited powers to the federal
government and bestowed residual power to the constituent states. Some of the enumerated
powers, however, are stated in a general fashion. This creates ambivalence as to the
legislative jurisdiction of media laws in Ethiopia. This thesis attempts to examine the locus of
jurisdiction of media lmv in view of the legislative division of power in the Ethiopian
constitution. To this end, it employs tools of legal review, doctrinal analysis and qualitative
data obtained ji-om interviews and Archival documents. Looking in retrospect the
constitutionality of enacting broadcasting laws of national application by the federal
legislature in Ethiopia appears to be justified in three fundamental aspects. Firstly, the
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federal legislature has the power to legislate a lmv pertaining to natural resources and
limited radio wave is considered as one amongst them. Though digital media is replacing
traditional radio wave broadcasting technology, it is still beneficial when mixed with the
new. Secondly, the feature of broadcasting media has trans-regional as well as trans-national
impact which calls for federal regulation. Thirdly, the federal legislature can enact laws on
inter-state commerce and inter-state trade and broadcasting media has trans-statecommercial aspect which demands federal regulation. Finally, the paper argues that media
laws as part of the legal regime for the enforcement of ji-eedom of expression rights
recognized in the constitution falls within the concurrent jurisdictions of federal and state
governments which entitles the federal legislature to pass mass media laws.
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Keywords
Federal legislature, Constitutionality, FDRE Constitution, Media law, Constituent states, Ethiopia, National application.