Fighting the ghosts of the Ethiopian
private press
6 January, 2010 | By Hindessa Abdul
The Ethiopian private press is in the limelight again. As part of the
Prime Minister’s threat not to repeat what happened in 2005, a huge
anti press campaign is well underway, resulting in countless interviews.
The government is set to hit hard to any opposition in its way before
the inconsequential elections slated for May of this year. The current
campaign is a prelude to the subsequent measures to be taken if anyone
wants to challenge the status quo.

While there is almost no private press in the country that could in any
way challenge the authorities at Menelik Palace, the government seems
to be haunted by some ghosts. Otherwise the onslaught shouldn’t have
been necessary at all.

Tell me lies

    The “documentary”, as ETV likes
    to call it, is full of fabrications and
    lies in the best tradition of
    revolutionary democrats. Some of
    the lies are supported by real
    footages with a distorted narration
    of the fact, one of them being a
    public protest that took place in
    1994. The producers of the
    program unashamedly tell us it was
a protest against the private press in general. Well, in comparison to the
day to day lies the station fabricates, it may sound not a big deal.
However, the record should be set straight....... More
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Media  Behavior
Yes, "information is power"
" ...The free flow of information and the
dissemination of knowledge pose imminent danger to
the power of dictators."
Professor Adugnaw Worku

Listen to the voice
"But why has the regime gone to such extremes to
keep information from the Ethiopian people? ..."
Ethio Media

Common Ground Towards 'Truth'

Truth and Media Ethics among the Diaspora
Ethiopians
By Alethia
"..I’d also agree to a great extent that that is what
motivates most of fellow Ethiopians in the Diaspora
media and they have been doing tremendous jobs in
that regard. But truth be told and here...." More
Abebe Gellaw slams Meles for
keeping nation in darkness
6 May, 2009 | By H Daniel









" Abebe, highlighted the efforts of the "one-man"
government to block the free flow of information in
Ethiopia...More
Ethiopian press freedom
violations continue




"Others familiar with the media in Ethiopia say that
the press in Ethiopia is not free to criticise the
government. Despite Zenawi being seen as...More
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Ethiopian journalist jailed for criticising leader
    2 February, 2010 (AFP) - An
    Ethiopian journalist has been
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Ethiopian Satellite Television Service To Begin
Direct Transmission To Ethiopia

    10 April, 2010 (Press Release)
    - The Board of Governors of
    Ethiopian Satellite Television
    (ESAT) is pleased to announce
    the launch of service to Ethiopia
    and around the world at the end
    of April 2010. The governing
    Board believes that an alternative
    media access to the full range of
    ideas, information, and differing
    perspectives will enable all
Ethiopians to gain critical understanding of the complex problems
they face and make informed choices.

ESAT is the first independent Ethiopian satellite service tasked to
produce accurate and balanced news and information, as well as
other entertainment, sports and cultural programming created for
and by Ethiopians.....More
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Ethiopia’s Media Fail to Spark Debate, Educate
Voters, Say Observers
19 May, 2010 (Douglas Mpuga) -  “The media in Ethiopia is
not free at all,” said Tom Rhodes, the program coordinator for the
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent, non-
governmental organization that promotes press freedom by
defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of
reprisal....More
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