The Ethiopian Broadcast Authority had been regarded as one of the lifeblood of the ruling that systematically stifled the free exchange of thoughts and information that were feared to go out of the dictated agenda. Its establishment foreshadowed no less than dark days to most, if not all, media owners and practitioners.
Be that as it may, the Authority has already rolled up its sleeves to rebrand itself as an independent entity that facilitates not only the coming of more outlets to the broadcast’s landscape but also ensures the practicing of ethical, responsible and informed journalism.
No doubt, a limited and yet sensitive resource like a broadcast media should be regulated.
The broadcast media are now considered as neither an enemy nor unaccountable bodies. The Authority has recently embarked on assessing recorded contents in a professional way. It analyzes the contents in a bid to identify their strengths and weakness.
So far, the Authority has provided feedbacks to most of the outlets by checking, among others, compliance per their objectives.
And the outlets must use the inputs to improve their practices.
The ongoing endeavor is sure to promote ethical, responsible and informed journalism. And the public will be able to get plural and balanced opinion and information. In this fashion, we can make an informed decision.
As the sector passed through various ups and downs, the number of broadcast outlets is still insignificant when compared with the diversity and the size of the population. More and more outlets should mushroom at the landscape. Thus, the Authority should keep on encouraging professionalism on one hand. It has to facilitate all the necessary conditions to the coming of new broadcast outlets into play, on the other.
The Ethiopian Herald January 17/2020
