Increased liberalization, but worse conditions for journalists
Common sense would say that increased media liberalization means safer conditions for journalists, but experience has a tendency to demonstrate the opposite. In particular, countries in transition to more democratic rule frequently relapse to safety decay for media workers after having experienced positive developments in the first phase. Media legislation is liberalized and media markets become vibrant, but journalists face coercion. What is the reason for this paradox in media liberalization, and what can we learn from societies which have been facing such developments recently?
This contribution considers the case of Ethiopia, which has undergone unparalleled liberalization in the media sector after the coming of current prime minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018. Journalists were released from prison and many media producers returned back home from the diaspora, resulting in a proliferation of media channels and genuine diversity in the local media market. However, the number of journalists behind bars went up from zero in 2018, to one in 2019, seven in 2020 and nine in 2021 (CPJ). Brutal attacks against journalists have increased as well, and not only from the authorities. Importantly, the transgressions can only partly be explained by the unsafe reporting conditions reated to the Tigray conflict.
The paper looks into the causes of the recent misbehaviour against journalists in Ethiopia and discusses the reasons for the apparent contradition between media liberalization and reporting conditions.
This contribution considers the case of Ethiopia, which has undergone unparalleled liberalization in the media sector after the coming of current prime minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018. Journalists were released from prison and many media producers returned back home from the diaspora, resulting in a proliferation of media channels and genuine diversity in the local media market. However, the number of journalists behind bars went up from zero in 2018, to one in 2019, seven in 2020 and nine in 2021 (CPJ). Brutal attacks against journalists have increased as well, and not only from the authorities. Importantly, the transgressions can only partly be explained by the unsafe reporting conditions reated to the Tigray conflict.
The paper looks into the causes of the recent misbehaviour against journalists in Ethiopia and discusses the reasons for the apparent contradition between media liberalization and reporting conditions.
Publisert i Presentation at Academic Consultation on Journalists’ Safety at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 2022
Les artikkelen her