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Ethiopia: Merciless Media Attacks
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The Reporter (Addis Ababa)
OPINION
15 December 2007
Posted to the web 17 December 2007
Molla Mitiku
When we compare the effect of weapons of mass destruction and mass media, many people argue that the former is more destructive than the latter.
Although this argument has some realty in it, there are objective realities where destruction by mass media outweigh destructions by weapons of mass destruction. If so, why is the international community anxious of weapons of mass destruction while it is propping up calamitous media?
The shattering effects of media could be seen from the perspectives of its little contribution to solidarity, peace and development. Unless media work is in line with poor nations and their development partners, its disparaging effect is inevitable.
It is clear that poor countries like Ethiopia, in collaboration with their development partners, industrialized countries and non-governmental international organizations, are working day in and out to pull them out of the quagmire of poverty, to fight disease such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. It is also evident that development partners are also channeling a great deal of assistance. Despite all these efforts, the media are playing adverse games on the developing nations that they hardly practice Development Journalism (DJ).
We have learned from past experiences that the media affects the totality of social, economic and political situations in a country if it is used improperly. It aggravates conflict, jeopardizes development, and distorts value systems. However, there is room for media to help poor nations in implementing their development strategies. DJ is a matter of fact. It helps nations implement strategies, policies, alleviate poverty, fight diseases, control environmental degradation, enhance productivity and promote good governance and democracy.
DJ is badly needed by African countries like Ethiopia in order to fight their arch-foe: poverty. Covering development stories of poor nations could foster solidarity, create harmony and reduce differences among people. It can also help to ensure lasting peace, stability, sustainable economic progress and national integration. However, current practices of covering development stories are insignificant. A mini-research has been conducted to confirm this idea.
The samples for the study are collected from Voice of America (VOA), Deutsche Welle (DW), British Broadcast Corporation (BBC), Radio France International (RFI), Reuters and Agence France Press (AFP). A total of 168 reports, covered from October 8 up to November 8, 2007 with reference to Ethiopia, have consulted.
Media
Type
Total reports
Negative report
Developmental report
VOA(Amharic + English)
47(61.04%)
30(38.96%)
77
DW(Amharic + English)
19 (57.58%)
14 (42.42%)
33
BBC
4( 21.05%)
15 (78.95%)
19
RFI
1( 20%)
4( 80%)
5
Reuters
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10 (52.63%)
9(47.37%)
19
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