Creating a space for active audiences: How the virtual Ethiopian diaspora challenges the local media in public engagement
This research investigates the digital public spheres that flourish in the ‘backyard’ of Ethiopian politics. While the bulk of Ethiopia’s media consists of state-owned media organizations, a number of private websites and discussion forums have appeared lately with an intention to create alternative arenas for news exchange and public discussion. Though many of these sites are small and fragmented, there are also sites which are highly popular and possess a huge readership. The most active of these sites attract more than a hundred reader responses from their audience every day. Most of the sites in question are operated from abroad by the diaspora, for instance with Washington DC, USA as the base.
The virtual Ethiopian diaspora represents a challenge both to established media businesses in Ethiopia and to official politics of the country. Arguably, these virtual diasporic communities have succeeded in creating a space for active audiences, which continues to be a headache for the local Ethiopian media. The many websites and discussion forums that exist on the Internet have turned the traditionally passive recipients into active participants and content-producers.
This paper asks what contribution the boundaryless digital audiences bring to the democratic conversation in Ethiopia. Through e-surveys and interviews with designers and contributors of specific websites in the diaspora, the researcher seeks to unravel the motives behind the sites and their strategy (or lack of such) to create an audience identity. The paper takes a specific look at the Oromo diaspora, which belongs to the largest people group in Ethiopia, and which has an ongoing complaint with the local media for lack of opportunities for public expression.
The virtual Ethiopian diaspora represents a challenge both to established media businesses in Ethiopia and to official politics of the country. Arguably, these virtual diasporic communities have succeeded in creating a space for active audiences, which continues to be a headache for the local Ethiopian media. The many websites and discussion forums that exist on the Internet have turned the traditionally passive recipients into active participants and content-producers.
This paper asks what contribution the boundaryless digital audiences bring to the democratic conversation in Ethiopia. Through e-surveys and interviews with designers and contributors of specific websites in the diaspora, the researcher seeks to unravel the motives behind the sites and their strategy (or lack of such) to create an audience identity. The paper takes a specific look at the Oromo diaspora, which belongs to the largest people group in Ethiopia, and which has an ongoing complaint with the local media for lack of opportunities for public expression.
Publisert i Paper presented at the conference 'African and Arab media audiences: Shared agenda for research', University of Westminster, London, UK, 2009
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