BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
The media which is said ‘one of the most powerful entities on earth’ plays a dominant role in terms of influencing a given society.
Aside from giving accurate and timely information about the current matter, media shapes people’s lives; strengthen national unity, build generations. By keeping its eye on the activity of the government and striving for transparency and accountability, it serves as a “watchdog.”
However, this can happen when the media is governed by greater professional ethics, righteousness and with a sense of responsibility. If not, as it is learnt from history and from the existing reality, its consequences is devastating.
That is why it is said “Whoever controls the media controls the mind.”
Recently a panel discussion dubbed “About Ethiopia” and organized by the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) with the aim to deliberate the role of media about Ethiopia was held at Gondar Town.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the panel discussion, Government Communication Services Minister Legesse Tulu said that local media houses are playing a vital role in strengthening internal unity and cementing people to people tie.
Though Ethiopia was facing a number of existential challenges, the media has helped it to overcome the challenges through the concerted hands and relentless struggle of its people. The role the media played in this regard is incalculable.
As to him, both the mainstreaming and social media have played positive role and contributed greatly in making Ethiopia a winner by thwarting the conspiracies and destructive acts of nation’s internal and external enemies.
The contribution of those media houses (private and government media institutions) in foiling the conspiracies and exposing the misinformation campaign of the destructive forces and making Ethiopia peaceful was immense.
He also urged all media houses to further enhance their role by building national unity and solidarity and creating national consensus.
At a paper she presented at the panel discussion, Addis Ababa University School of Journalism Instructor Agaredech Jemaneh stated that media freedom goes along with responsibility and accountability, but this fact is not often seen in practice these days.
Media has an indispensable role in raising public awareness about the country and its potential to bring about change and driving them contribute their respective share thereby helping the nation register growth and change it deserves, she added.
As Ethiopia has possessed a society exchanging information through viable systems like Dagu, the media should provide information as soon as possible and practice media freedom together with accountability and responsibility as media cannot do its job without freedom. However, trying to exercise this freedom without accountability is intolerable.
“Freedom has both negative and positive impacts, its negative side is to open leeway towards distorting information against the unity of the country, and the positive side is the existence of free media that informs the law maker and the executive about what step needs to be taken to accelerate growth and prosperity.
As to her, the media should give quality information targeting at raising public awareness and building the country.
The main objective of the panel discussion was to identify the opportunities and challenges the nation is facing; and to enable media houses play their role for the common good of this nation, EPA’s CEO Getnet Tadesse noted.
He noted that the 9th edition of EPA’s was organized to discuss matters focusing on national consensus, unity and solidarity, national sovereignty, and what and how the media can contribute in this regard.
Mentioning that photography exhibitions and panel discussions have been held in 9 towns including Gondar City, Getnet said that in the future, similar forums will be held in three towns.
At the panel discussion, research papers, which focus on media freedom and accountability, media and national interest, the success and challenges of social media, were presented and discussed thoroughly.
The panel discussion was attended by senior federal and regional and Gondar town officials and media house heads and renowned professionals.
The Ethiopian Herald 21 August 2022
