The Effect of Media Ownership on the Framing of News: The Ethiopian Herald Vs. The Reporter on the Coverage of the Oromo Protests‘ from April 2014 – April 2016
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Date
2016-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Media ownership has an immense effect on the framing of news. Especially in such a time where
media‘s reach as increased, and its power to shape, influence and bring change in different
aspects of individuals and nations, news has become primarily a commodity. This commodity
brings the owner money, as well as power. Hence, media has been another front where political
wars are fought. In the name of public service, media owners forward their ideologies, according
to their needs and beliefs. This takes place through the influence ownership makes on media‘s
content, especially on the ‗objective‘ news. It deprives media of its independence, and the public
of the ability to make well-informed decisions. This is evident in Ethiopia where a polarized type
of ownership exists between the private and public owned media houses. Both the private, as
well as government media have agendas they forward through their institutions. Yet research
findings show that this truth doesn‘t necessarily mean they are not serving the public, but the
degree of public service rendered is questionable.
While these ownership types will continue to live on, there are a number of things that can be
done to insure that the media will work towards the public‘s interest. This first begins by setting
up an atmosphere where the media are held accountable. The media, ‗Fourth Estate‘, are set up
to be watchdogs of government‘s activities, and keep the state accountable to the public. But if
there isn‘t an accountability system for the media itself, then it becomes another uncontrollable
giant. So who keeps the media accountable? It is the public itself.
A media scene that forwards political and self-gain ambitions doesn‘t only show of an illbehaved
government and private sector, rather it also points towards a dormant public that does
not intervene. The fourth estate is a two way street, just like democracy, where active
participation of the public is necessary. Through the formation of press council, and cooperation
of civil societies and organizations such as Ombudsman and anti-corruption office with the
media, an organized public opinion that can not only keep media accountable but also lead in
agenda setting can be formed. It is only when this is realized that power truly rests in the hands
of the public.
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The Effect of Media Ownership on the framing of news: