Establishing Responsible Media Crucial to Ensure Nations Dev’t: Officials

Addis Ababa  November    2  /2019   Institutionalizing responsible media that serves the community freely and independently is vital to ensure the development endeavors of the nation, according to officials.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ethiopian Broadcast Authority Deputy Director-General Wondosen Andualem said some media institutions have been engaged in provocative activities which erode the value of people living together.

Despite challenges, the reform underway in the country is significantly improving the media environment, according to Wondosen, who added that public and private media institutions have been enjoying freedom over the past year.

However, building responsible and vibrant media institutions in a country like ours where democracy has not yet been fully developed is a burdensome task, he noted.

Thus the country has prepared media law that is expected to be approved by the House of People's Representatives. The law will give enough freedom to the media and enable the authority to take corrective measures on media institutions that do not live up to their profession.

The law will also abolish the existing Ethiopian Broadcast Authority and replace it with Mass Media Authority to make it an independent government organization and increase its mandate to conduct technology-based media trend analysis.

Mass Media Law and Communication Expert at the Attorney General Office, Solomon Goshu said on his part mass media proclamations for online, print and broadcast are sent to the House of People's Representatives for approval before January 2020.

Meanwhile, two proclamations on freedom of expression and the revised cyber crime will be tabled for public discussion soon.

The laws would create better working environment for journalists to execute their task independently and freely without infringing their professional obligation, he pointed out.

Addis Ababa University School of Journalism and Communication Assistance Professor, Mekuria Mekasha said media plays a crucial role in building a nation.

As part of creating competent human power, the government has thus been working to establish journalism schools in different universities, he added.

"If we need to create responsible media institutions, legal frameworks will be put in place in order to bring together both federal and regional media and enable them work for common vision," Mekuria stressed.

He recommended that the authority bridge gaps between journalists and activists, in addition to taking measure on irresponsible media institutions.

Ethiopia had been criticized as one of the harshest countries toward journalist’s treatment. It is now receiving praises as a country where no journalist is behind bars.