Editorial Independence in the Ethiopian Private Media Houses.
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Date
2009-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This research attempted to study the nature of edito rial independence in the Eth iopian priva te
media houses by looking into the typical newsroom cultures and the natural rela tionsh ip
proprietors have with their editors.
To this end, the researcher has employed exclusively qualitative method to collect data. In-depth
interviews are conducted with editors-in-chief and publishers of the private press. Besides, the
researcher has explored the old and new Ethiopian media legislations, in house code of conducts,
and editorial policy of selected media houses to examine their relevance to th e concept of
editorial independence. Lastly, the researcher employed participant and simple observation
methods to deeply investigate the newsroom culture to find out the natural relati onship the
publishers have with their editors. The researcher also has attended a series of editorial meetings
to fmiher examine the group dynamics among the newsroom staff.
In the Ethiopian press law, Freedom of the Mass Media and Access to Information Proc lam ation,
publishers are obliged to assign editor-in-chief and deputy edi tor-i n-chief who can take the
ultimate power andresponsibility about the content of the paper, so that publishers will be kept
aside from interfering on the journali sts' job, so then respect the editorial independence of their
employees.
However, the Ethiopian private press does not seem to be willing to adopt the new regulation.
Publishers take part in the daily routine of editors; dictate their journalists, involve in all
newsroom 'doings raliging from story idea to news selection, from sto ry angle and placel11ent to
layout and design of the paper. Thus, publishers possibly have an ultimate power to use their
paper to prol110te and demote, to make shine or shadow any topic and personality, based on their
interest, disregarding basic journalistic standards.
The overall finding of the research shows that editors in the Ethiopian private l11 ed ia houses work
in tense and business-driven newsrooms; editors-in-chief of the private press hardl y enjoys th eir
edi torial independence and thus made to play the role of 'stunt editor'.
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Keywords
Ethiopian private med ia houses