UK Announces Support for Private Media in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa January 23/2021 ( ENA) The UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has announced yesterday a new funding to improve skills and capacity of private Ethiopian media outlets. 

Launching the project, the 3 million UK Pound will be managed by a consortium led by BBC Media Action which brings together national and local media organizations to help them navigate challenges, including how to identify and counter misinformation, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operations and on their audiences, and how to more effectively secure funding for their organizations.

According to a press release of British Embassy, the foreign secretary added that “by supporting local reporting in Ethiopia, and making sure journalists have the right skills and resources to gather stories, investigate issues and highlight local and national successes, the UK is helping to support an ethical and professional media.”

The rise of digital media has dramatically changed the way audiences consume and access media, both in Ethiopia and around the world, significantly reducing advertising revenues and increasing economic pressure on the industry while the global economic downtown caused by COVID-19 is creating additional financial pressure. 

BBC Media Action CEO, Caroline Nursey stated that the initiative will use the funding to offer targeted training, capacity building and support to a range of non-state media organizations to support and defend media sustainability.