The Practice of Investigative Journalism in the Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency
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Date
2012-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This research was conducted to investigate the practice of investigative journalism in the Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency, „Aynachin‟ program. To conduct this study, the researcher employed a qualitative research approach. In depth interview and content analysis of some sample programs were used to get the required data from the sample respondents for the research. Scholarly articles related to investigative journalism and its role in realizing democracy and development were discussed. Social responsibility theory and watchdog Journalism were used as theoretical framework. The findings of the study indicated that the practice of investigative journalism in the Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency (ERTA) is at an early stage although its importance for the country is well understood. The program mainly focuses on government institutions which fail to promote democracy, good governance and fight corruption with issues related to land. The program mostly uses tip-offs as a source for investigative stories and secondary sources especially documents, were intensively used as a tool for investigations. In addition, some ethical problems like intervening and excessive use of ambush interview and coming up with sketchy information that is below the people expectation are observed in the program. Lack of qualified journalists who are committed to this assignment, Lack of logistics, inadequate training, organizational pressure, external interference, such as political and financial, absence of incentives, absence of protection for the journalists and people‟s reluctantinace to be source of information are highly challenging the practice of investigative journalism („Aynachin‟ program) in the agency
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Journalism in the Ethiopian Radio and Television