The last one year has opened a new era for Ethiopians, especially in country’s media spectrum. The country, once mentioned as one of the “worst enemies of press freedom in the world for independent media to operate in’’ and known for its iron fist treatments of journalists and bloggers, has now for the first time been reputed for not having jailed journalists.
This is a tremendous success for Ethiopia largely lambasted by activists and human right organizations – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Human Rights Watch (HRW)- for its crackdown on journalists under the pretext of terrorism.
With banned media outlets such as ESAT and OMN opening their office in the country, now the media landscape appears to be more free while the number of print media seeing momentum.
The happening has allowed many silenced voices to come forward and be heard even if again there requires daunting tasks to further rejuvenate country’s media through revising polices, professionalizing media organizations, ensuring ethics and so on.
Despite the progress, the media has played little role in creating informed citizen. It is also far from regulating self as some of the stories aired or carried on newspaper proved to be counterproductive which in fact obliged the government to legislate hate speech proclamation.
As the saying goes, with opportunity comes responsibility, the freedom it is enjoyed, should be accompanied with accountability.
Ironically, some of the media houses and journalists instead of enjoying the freedom, they are attempting to abuse it by broadcasting or publishing unethical, scandalous, and malicious libels.
By issuing statements that create hostility between and among the community, they are trying to erode the social fabric of the community. Such irresponsible act, unless corrected so soon, it can wither the press freedom it is flourishing now in the country.
Hence, the media, rather than sowing discords or making statement of hatred, should safeguard the interests of the public by playing a watchdog role and exposing the flaws in government or any institutions or entities, And this is the very essence responsible media stands for – to be the ears and eyes of the public and power for powerless.
As the old adage goes, the pen is mightier than the sword and the dictators fear the power of the pen more than the power of the sword. So our media, both private and public, instead of advancing partisan and polarized agendas, should serve the public by playing a watchdog role to expose corruption, power and human right abuses practices and other malpractices.
Again rather than seating across the aisle of political divisions, the media should come on board in national agendas.
Particularily these days as the country is at time of transition, those media should serve as a forum of debate and represents unrepresented voices by allowing for exchange of ideas.
Herald April 24/2019
