Media representation of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed: A comparative study among Aljazeera online, Ethiopian Herald and Reporter Amharic newspapers
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Date
2019-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In the recent years representations of issues by media outlets are one of the most researched topics in the field of journalism and communication. Representations in the media have a very strong influence on how societies formulate their knowledge, attitudes, stands and practices. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the representation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in the three selected media outlets. Accordingly, Aljazeera online, Ethiopian Herald and Reporter Amharic newspapers were deliberately selected. Aljazeera online represented the international media while Ethiopian Herald and Reporter Amharic newspapers would give a representative image of local media. Moreover, comparisons were made based on local versus international media outlets. To this end, so as to meet the objectives of the study, both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis were employed. The study was also supported with the media representation and framing theories as its theoretical frameworks.
The period of study (March 2018- December 2018) was also chosen reasonably as it was time that Ethiopian political situation opportune to see new chapter in peaceful power transition and extraordinary attentions from different corners was given for the Prime Minister. Likewise, by using systematic random sampling seventy-five articles (news stories and editorials) were selected for analysis. Thirteen from Aljazeera, forty-six from Ethiopian Herald and sixteen from Reporter Amharic, of which fifty-three of articles are news whereas twenty-two are editorials. Furthermore, content analysis came into play and gave a quantitative perspective to illustrate the data plainly tableau and graph was used. In addition, the qualitative data that obtained from frame analysis was presented by descriptive narration.
After thoroughly examining the selected articles from three media outlets finding revealed that six dominant frames emerged. The list goes on value/morality frame, conflict frame, human interest frame, attribute frame, economic frame and attribution of responsibility frame. Besides, major attributions emerged about Abiy Ahmed. These are ethnic, nationalist, change agent, peacemaker, open-minded, populist and indecisive. The findings from the study demonstrated that representations of Abiy Ahmed by the selected three media outlets are polarized. The international outlet Aljazeera-online mostly used value and conflict frames. Whereas, the two local newspapers Ethiopian Herald and Reporter Amharic employed the other four frame types. But, both the international and local media outlets also shared some common frames.
Even if the focus of this study was to examine the representation of Abiy Ahmed by the selected media outlets, which was portrayal and frame, a wider perspective has emerged to study about the representation of high public figures like Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Having examined the comparative representation of Abiy Ahmed by the three selected media, the study authoritatively concluded that there was disharmony between international and local media outlets. Yet, in some ways, the two were mutually complimentary. At the concluding remark, this researcher is of opinion that many similar studies must come to the fore; so that future researchers would have a good starting point and solid related literatures.
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Journalisme