Factors Affecting the Practice of Development Journalism in Ethiopia: The Case of Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation and Oromia Radio and Television Organization
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Date
2016-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to find out facto rs that affect the practice of development
journalism in Ethiopia with focus on Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) and Oromia
Rad io and Television Organization (ORTVO).
The study em ployed both qualitative and quantitative methods for data gathering.
Questionnaires were prepared and administered to journalists in the media houses under
study. Open-ended questions were a lso prepared and admin istered along with the close-ended
questions for journalists. In-depth interview was also used to gather qual itative data. Slightly
moderated questions were prepared from s imple to complex and the researcher conducted
interview with journali sts, ed itors, media managers and government commun ication affa irs
offi cials of Federal Democratic Republic Government Communication Affairs Office and
Oromia Regiona l Government Communication Bureau Officia ls.
The data were presented and ana lysed accord ingly. The findin gs showed that there are several
factors that affect the practice of development journalism in EBC and ORTVO. Accordingly,
lack of knowledge and sk ill on the concept of development and development journali sm, lack
of logistics and finance, focu ssing on event report ing, failure to give atte ntion to marginalised
groups and diversity, absence of strong and independent journalistic associations at the
national and at the media level, information from global media outlets and socia l media in
general and Facebook in particular were identified as the factors affecti ng the practice of
development journal ism in Ethiopia. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher
fo rwarded some recommendations on how to address the factors for effective practices of
development journalism in Ethiopia.
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Keywords
Development Journalism, Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation