Radio Fana’s Coverage of The 2015 National Election of Ethiopia on F.M 98.1
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Date
2016-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study aimed at assessing the coverage of the 2015 national election of
Ethiopia on the first established private FM radio, Fana F.M 98.1. The study
employed quantitative content analysis. The sample selection underwent different
stages. First, the ninety seven days of the campaign period, from February 16 –
May 21, were stratified under fourteen weeks of the three months and then the
samples were proportionally allocated and selected using simple random sampling
technique. Nevertheless, due to lack of reported news of election particularly in
March and April availability/convenient sampling was also used. News stories and
programs focusing on the election and broadcasted on the media were targeted.
The contents of these media products then were content analyzed using coding
sheets organized under seven analytical categories which the media require to
fulfill for standardized coverage of elections. The findings indicated that Fana F.M
covered the election by reporting follow up news stories and organizing a three
month special debate and discussion program on the weekly ‘Mogach’ talk show.
In both the news and the program, political messages that inform and educate
voters were transmitted, political parties got additional media access, with irregular
frequency and length of air time, beside their direct free air time access. Though
the coverage of the media about the election in news stories as well as the special
programof discussion and debate was vital to make voters informed, the space
given to the public’s participation, however, was narrow and limited. Finally,
because this was only one of the steps in creating knowledgeableelectorate, further
area of investigations were recommended at the last section of the study.
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National Election of Ethiopia