Ethiopian Government’s Management of the Media During The Ethio-Eritrean War 1998-2000
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Date
2006-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The development of journalism in Ethiopia is yet in its infancy. However, Ethiopia has a
long tradition in journalism the first known publication Aemiro going back to the turn of
the 20th century (Shimelis, 2000:7). For many people the main reasons for this are lack of
professionalism due to absence of journalism training schools, and the use of media by
successive governments as instruments of propaganda. The country guaranteed freedom
of expression only in 1991 that led to the emergence of private press. Liberalization of
the press –domestic broadcasting has not been liberalized-altered the relationship of
media and the government as many private local press became too critical to the
government while the government media both electronic and print remained pro
government. There also emerged some middle ground private press but the government
puts them all in one box.
Such an antagonistic relationship between the government and private press was to
change for some time when Ethiopia was at war with Eritrea in 1998-2000. Almost all the
news papers that assume different outlook on the government joined hands with the
government during the war. The media served the interest of the government as they both
had a shared interest of maintaining the country’s ‘national interest.’ The fact that the
media believed in the ‘justness’ of the war was the crucial element that had effect on the
media management during the War.
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Ethio-Eritrean War