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Papers by Terje Skjerdal
Book , 2020
This report looks into the issue of media and ethnicity in contemporary Ethiopia. As any- one can... more This report looks into the issue of media and ethnicity in contemporary Ethiopia. As any- one can witness, there have been immense changes in the local media situation since Dr. Abiy Ahmed assumed leadership in April 2018. In just two years, the country has improved its ranking on Reporter Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index by 51 places, which is the greatest leap of any country anytime – by far. There is a lot to celebrate. At the same time, the press situation in the country is deeply disconcerting. The reason for this is that the media landscape is as polarized as never before, and that parts of the media are being blamed for playing a pivotal role in the turbulence which have erupted in various parts of the country since 2019. The suspicion of many people is that the media are being exploited to propagate an ethnic agenda.
Towards this backdrop, the intention of the study is to examine the role of the media in ethnic tensions in contemporary Ethiopia. The methodology is twofold, combining in-depth interviews with framing analysis. For the interview part, we have met approximately 25 persons with key positions in all major parts of the media in the country. For the framing analysis, we have scrutinized the media coverage of eight crucial incidents between 2018 and 2020 in ten different media outlets.
We argue that the tendencies we’re ob- serving in the media can be described as an intensified ethnification process. By this we mean that ethnic belonging and identity politics are gaining significance as central
frames of reference in the current Ethiopian media discourse. Ethnicity is being employed as a key to interpret media messages, and it outlines a frame for classifying media channels and personalities. We identify two major frames, annihilation and othering, which are indicative of the tendency of journalists to align with their ethnic background. We also find that many media practitioners are deeply concerned about the developments. Research data point towards a more pluralistic media society in Ethiopia (albeit segmented pluralism), but also significantly more polarization. The polarization is fuel- led by ethno-nationalistic media of different origin and ownership, vis-à-vis pan-Ethio- pianist channels. The previous stronghold of the federal state media (EPRDF-supportive) has been overtaken by a fragmented state media structure with growing significance of regional mass media agencies. Journalists are beginning to form alliances along regional and ethnic fault lines, as illustrated by the launch of Amhara Journalists Association, Oromia Journalists Association, Tigray Journalists Association, and so forth. Journalists are highly inclined to use sources which support their own ideological interest, and avoid quoting sources from other ethnicities which could balance the story. When it comes to professional ideals, various channels practice a hybrid reporting style which blends acknowledged standards with an interventionist or activist agenda. We argue that ethnic and political agendas are at risk of being at odds with media professionalism.
This study examines the perceived relevance and implementation of competing normative ideals in j... more This study examines the perceived relevance and implementation of competing normative ideals in journalism in times of increasing use of digital technology in newsrooms. Based on survey and content analysis data from 37 countries, we found a small positive relationship between the use of digital research tools and "watchdog" performance. However, a stronger and negative relationship emerged between the use of digital audience analytics and the performance of "watchdog" and "civic" roles, leading to an overall increase in conception-performance gaps on both roles.
Study Report , 2024
Religion has become an issue in the Ethiopian media. This is a new situation in a country which f... more Religion has become an issue in the Ethiopian media. This is a new situation in a country which for many years excluded religious expressions from the public media. With the coming of prime minister Abiy Ahmed and the Prosperity Party in 2018, the principle of the secular state, which is in the Ethiopian Constitution, has been challenged fundamentally.
Religion is being brought into official speeches and reflected in the media.
Presenters on state television are seen wearing Orthodox crosses and Muslim hijabs, which was unheard of just five years ago. The new media proclamation which came in 2021 allows religious organizations to apply for broadcasting licences for the first time in the nation’s history. By 2023, between 40 and 50 religious organizations have acquired such
a licence. At the same time, religion has also surfaced as a conflict issue in the media. Quarrel within the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council in 2021, dispute around the ownership and use of Meskel Square in Addis Ababa in 2020– 22, and an attempt of schism within the Orthodox church in 2023 are three hot issues which epitomize religious conflict as a topic in the current news scene.
The purpose of this study is to assess the ongoing changes in media and religion in Ethiopia. The researchers have interviewed 20 representatives from the media, the religious community and the regulator. The study also contains an in-depth analysis of 98 stories on religion which made headlines in ten different media outlets between 2020 and 2023.
The study found that the newfound openness to religion in the Ethiopian
media is deficient. The ‘broadcasting licences’ for religious organizations do not permit local radio stations or transmission through terrestrial television but are a registration system to map organizations which use the Internet and satellite to distribute religious programmes to Ethiopian audiences. The authorities continue to be suspicious of religious broadcasting and fear that extreme actors will destabilize the social
order if they get access to the airwaves. The state media – officially called public media – neglect and downplay religious conflict issues in their coverage. However, with the many private media outlets as well as the social media on the scene, it has become harder for the state media to control the narrative around religious issues altogether. The content analysis shows that polarization is still a major problem in the reporting of religion in the Ethiopian media. Stories are often biased towards the
journalist’s political and ethnic stance.
Claiming that they are ’secular’, the state media (’public media’) tend to ignore important religious issues and conflicts which have resulted in loss of lives, burning of religious buildings, and displacement of people. The media appear to be ambivalent between applying a peculiar interpretation of ’secular’ principles by ignoring religion, or deciding to report such issues. The report stresses the importance of sensitizing reporters about religious issues and making the media more ethically responsible when reporting religion.
Journalism Studies, Jul 11, 2023
In African media practice, journalists commonly receive money from their sources. Instead of cond... more In African media practice, journalists commonly receive money from their sources. Instead of condemning these cash or in-kind payments, Behanu Lodamo and Terje Skjerdal strive to describe Ethiopia’s “manila envelope” system from the inside, to understand the practice’s internal logic. The authors show how some payments that external observers would perceive as corrupt are seen by the parties involved as alternative yet legitimate forms of professional incentivizing.
African Identities, 2021
The purpose of this study was exploring evidence of a community-based environment and forest deve... more The purpose of this study was exploring evidence of a community-based environment and forest development program run by an organization. It is a thematic analysis of scientific documents related to the experiences and challenges were explored. The academic study carefully followed a holistic approach to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders. The organization has been striving to improve environmental challenges, climate change, and sustainable development in Ethiopia. A qualitative method was properly employed. The results prove a causal relationship between improvements in environmental security and sustainable development in the region. The working framework of the organization is that it is inseparably linked to the mutual commitment of the government. However, the insightful reports sufficiently demonstrate that there is no clear and adopted standard policy that can be applied across project phases. Moreover, the results purportedly show that successful partnerships and image building are critically important to the outstanding achievement of its key objectives. The communication strategy remains the key instrument to encourage the partnership of stakeholders. There was a unique culture of properly documenting communication success and apparent failure in the annual reports on community projects. Likewise, the organization adequately identified effective communication as the grand strategy of project implementation. Nonetheless, the organization cannot merely fulfill its potential for efficiently implementing the possible activities of community projects. Communicating the results to stakeholders was also significantly weaker than ever. Moreover, the implementation strategy does not show how and when to properly apply the communication strategies. The apparent lack of communication infrastructure and considerable delay in responses from the potential funders impeded executing the specific projects and establishing effective communication with local stakeholders at the grassroots level. We subtly suggest the organization carefully consider all the possible pitfalls and combine participatory environmental communication as a modest means of merely executing community-based projects.
This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on ... more This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on a content analysis of newspaper, television, radio and online news in 37 countries.
Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
Studies suggest that, at the routine level, news beats function as unique “micro-cultures.” Explo... more Studies suggest that, at the routine level, news beats function as unique “micro-cultures.” Exploring this “particularist” approach in news content, we compare how the interventionist, watchdog, loyal, service, infotainment, and civic roles materialize across 11 thematic news beats and analyze the moderating effect of platforms, ownership, and levels of political freedom on journalistic role performance in hard and soft news. Based on the second wave of the Journalistic Role Performance (JRP) project, this article reports the findings of a content analysis of 148,474 news items from 37 countries. Our results reveal the transversality of interventionism, the strong associations of some topics and roles, and the limited reach of news beat particularism in the face of moderating variables.
Heliyon, 2022
This study examined non-formal Environmental Education (EE) is employed in interventions aimed at... more This study examined non-formal Environmental Education (EE) is employed in interventions aimed at empowering rural society in Ethiopia. The study focused on a relatively less explored area of how non-formal EE in the form of project-based learning and how it was used to equip the community with skills and knowledge. Using qualitative data collection methods and thematic analysis was employed as an analytical strategy, the study produced evidence of the importance of community programs to out-of-school youths and adults in the acquisition of fundamental skills and knowledge. Greening campaigns were found to be essential in sustaining the lives of the rural communities. As demonstrated in the study, community projects aimed at enhancing learning are in sync with theory of project-based learning. Assisted by relevant conceptualization, the organization which motivated this study, develops insights for knowledge management for further implementation strategies. Its major focus is on empowering poor communities and their institutions by ensuring environmental security and livelihoods. As crucial stakeholders, communities received knowledge and technical skills through experience sharing, training, and workshops. Findings further indicated that most of the project community members were illiterate prior to their engagement in the project activities, which demonstrated that they needed to acquire basic knowledge and skills enact agency. Many community members became part of the project because of the mobilization and awareness creation campaign by the local development organization. However, there have been several roadblocks to the implementation of the community projects. But most importantly the study shows, skills and knowledge imparted through EE were important to implement community projects, helping to enhance community participation in raising environmental quality, thereby improving environmental performance, farming methods, and livelihood situations. We suggest project-based learning be used as a tool for community empowerment initiatives aimed at responding to environmental problems.
The shifting role of journalism in a digital age has affected long-standing journalistic norms ac... more The shifting role of journalism in a digital age has affected long-standing journalistic norms across media platforms. This has reinvigorated discussion on how work in online newsrooms compares to other platforms that differ in media affordances and forms. Still, more studies are needed on whether those differences translate into distinct practices, especially when examining cross-national studies. Based on the second wave of the Journalistic Role Performance (JRP) project, this article reports the findings of a content analysis of 148,474 stories produced by 365 media organizations from 37 countries, comparing the performance of journalistic roles in online newsrooms to three other types of media—TV, radio, and print. The paper analyzes if journalistic roles present themselves differently across platforms, and if these differences are constant or they vary across countries. Results show that there are measurable differences in role performance in online journalism compared to other...
and Corporate Communication, universidad rey Juan Carlos (urJC), madrid, spain; q Department of s... more and Corporate Communication, universidad rey Juan Carlos (urJC), madrid, spain; q Department of social studies, university of tartu, Estonia; r Journalism and strategic Communication Program, northwestern university in Qatar, Doha, Qatar; s interfaculty initiative in information studies, the university of tokyo, tokyo, Japan;
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2021
Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 2022
"Using Ethiopia as its case, this dissertation discusses a classic problem in jo... more "Using Ethiopia as its case, this dissertation discusses a classic problem in journalism sociology, specifically the dilemma of media practitioners who face multiple commitments. One stream of research within this area has focused on the conflict that arises when journalists find their professional commitment to be challenged by a commitment to a non-professional community such as the nation. An accepted theory maintains that journalists in such situations will protect a sense of professionalism by shifting between loyalties, where media prac-titioners for a limited period exchange their ‘ordinary’ professional loyalty for loyalty to the nation. According to the theory, the professional mindset is eventually restored through a process of ‘paradigm repair’. This approach may be described as a model of ‘shifting loyalties’. The current research project considers the theory through the case of Ethiopia, a transitional society characterized by strong state/government dominance in the media sector. The study applies a combination of personal interviews, newsroom observation and content analysis, with main emphasis on qualitative interviews with 67 journalists from three state-owned media institutions. The researched institutions comprise of a television station (Ethiopian Television), a daily newspaper (The Ethiopian Herald), and a news agency (Ethiopian News Agency), all of which in various ways are affected by government control. The research finds journalism culture in the Ethiopian state media to be circumscribed by a combination of aspiring professionalism, vague control and personal opportunism. Through a culture of self-censorship and discourses of fear in the newsroom, journalists pro-duce and reproduce a subservient reporting style. At the same time, reporters rescue a sense of professionalism by exploiting the journalistic adiophoron, trusting a critical public, and adhering to national interest. On the normative level, the journalists are found to express dual loyalty to the profession and the nation, while a potential loyalty to the government is observed as broken. The research concludes that the recognized approach of ‘shifting loyalties’ does not convincingly describe the situation for journalists in the Ethiopian state media. The interviewed journalists do not portray an environment where they normally stay professional and occasionally swop to national loyalty, but rather describe how both loyalties are present at the same time, persistently and forcefully. Thus, the research submits that within the Ethiopian context, professional and national loyalties can hardly be treated separately as if the journalists subscribe to one identity the one day and another the next. In place of a model of shifting loyalties, the research therefore proposes a model of ‘competing loyalties’."
Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, 2010
This study investigates self-censorship practices in Ethiopian state media institutions. Through ... more This study investigates self-censorship practices in Ethiopian state media institutions. Through indepth interviews with 61 journalists, the study discloses extensive use of self-censorship on the part of journalists who try to conform to the expected reporting style of the state media. The journalists are largely critical of self-censorship, but continue with the practice despite their reservations. The study suggests that editors and reporters assume a set of underlying justifications to validate the practice on a personal level and make it appear professional for outsiders. The justifications are found to follow four lines of argument: (1) relegation of ethical responsibility; (2) elasticity of journalistic editing; (3) confidence in critical audiences; and (4) adherence to social responsibility. It is further found that there is a remarkable discrepancy between the relatively open-minded official editorial policy of the Ethiopian state media and the restrictive reporting practices followed by the journalists. It is suggested that discourses of fear play a significant role in the reproduction of self-censorship in the concerned media organizations. The phenomenon of self-censorship is widespread in African media practices. It is found in both the private and the state-owned media; in new and old media; during times of tension and indeed also in more peaceful periods. It is, according to Derek Forbes, as common as political influence on the media, thus he suggests that 'political interference and self-censorship go together in African journalism' (2005, 61). Even so, scholarly analyses of the practices are limited. To the extent that self-censorship is examined, the analyses tend to focus on the political and legal conditions that cause self-censorship instead of the journalists' own experience of the practice and how they reflect on it. This study explores the felt conflict between self-censorship and journalistic professionalism. Through individual interviews with 61 reporters and editors in the Ethiopian state media, I try to identify the boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable self-censorship practices as experienced by the journalists, and to unearth the journalists' rationalization for putting restraints on themselves in
Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies, 2000
Abstract: The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings on the media in 19... more Abstract: The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings on the media in 1997 were probably unique from a world perspective. In contrast to attempts made elsewhere world to investigate the role of the media in relation to political procedures, the TRC ...
Book , 2020
This report looks into the issue of media and ethnicity in contemporary Ethiopia. As any- one can... more This report looks into the issue of media and ethnicity in contemporary Ethiopia. As any- one can witness, there have been immense changes in the local media situation since Dr. Abiy Ahmed assumed leadership in April 2018. In just two years, the country has improved its ranking on Reporter Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index by 51 places, which is the greatest leap of any country anytime – by far. There is a lot to celebrate. At the same time, the press situation in the country is deeply disconcerting. The reason for this is that the media landscape is as polarized as never before, and that parts of the media are being blamed for playing a pivotal role in the turbulence which have erupted in various parts of the country since 2019. The suspicion of many people is that the media are being exploited to propagate an ethnic agenda.
Towards this backdrop, the intention of the study is to examine the role of the media in ethnic tensions in contemporary Ethiopia. The methodology is twofold, combining in-depth interviews with framing analysis. For the interview part, we have met approximately 25 persons with key positions in all major parts of the media in the country. For the framing analysis, we have scrutinized the media coverage of eight crucial incidents between 2018 and 2020 in ten different media outlets.
We argue that the tendencies we’re ob- serving in the media can be described as an intensified ethnification process. By this we mean that ethnic belonging and identity politics are gaining significance as central
frames of reference in the current Ethiopian media discourse. Ethnicity is being employed as a key to interpret media messages, and it outlines a frame for classifying media channels and personalities. We identify two major frames, annihilation and othering, which are indicative of the tendency of journalists to align with their ethnic background. We also find that many media practitioners are deeply concerned about the developments. Research data point towards a more pluralistic media society in Ethiopia (albeit segmented pluralism), but also significantly more polarization. The polarization is fuel- led by ethno-nationalistic media of different origin and ownership, vis-à-vis pan-Ethio- pianist channels. The previous stronghold of the federal state media (EPRDF-supportive) has been overtaken by a fragmented state media structure with growing significance of regional mass media agencies. Journalists are beginning to form alliances along regional and ethnic fault lines, as illustrated by the launch of Amhara Journalists Association, Oromia Journalists Association, Tigray Journalists Association, and so forth. Journalists are highly inclined to use sources which support their own ideological interest, and avoid quoting sources from other ethnicities which could balance the story. When it comes to professional ideals, various channels practice a hybrid reporting style which blends acknowledged standards with an interventionist or activist agenda. We argue that ethnic and political agendas are at risk of being at odds with media professionalism.
This study examines the perceived relevance and implementation of competing normative ideals in j... more This study examines the perceived relevance and implementation of competing normative ideals in journalism in times of increasing use of digital technology in newsrooms. Based on survey and content analysis data from 37 countries, we found a small positive relationship between the use of digital research tools and "watchdog" performance. However, a stronger and negative relationship emerged between the use of digital audience analytics and the performance of "watchdog" and "civic" roles, leading to an overall increase in conception-performance gaps on both roles.
Study Report , 2024
Religion has become an issue in the Ethiopian media. This is a new situation in a country which f... more Religion has become an issue in the Ethiopian media. This is a new situation in a country which for many years excluded religious expressions from the public media. With the coming of prime minister Abiy Ahmed and the Prosperity Party in 2018, the principle of the secular state, which is in the Ethiopian Constitution, has been challenged fundamentally.
Religion is being brought into official speeches and reflected in the media.
Presenters on state television are seen wearing Orthodox crosses and Muslim hijabs, which was unheard of just five years ago. The new media proclamation which came in 2021 allows religious organizations to apply for broadcasting licences for the first time in the nation’s history. By 2023, between 40 and 50 religious organizations have acquired such
a licence. At the same time, religion has also surfaced as a conflict issue in the media. Quarrel within the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council in 2021, dispute around the ownership and use of Meskel Square in Addis Ababa in 2020– 22, and an attempt of schism within the Orthodox church in 2023 are three hot issues which epitomize religious conflict as a topic in the current news scene.
The purpose of this study is to assess the ongoing changes in media and religion in Ethiopia. The researchers have interviewed 20 representatives from the media, the religious community and the regulator. The study also contains an in-depth analysis of 98 stories on religion which made headlines in ten different media outlets between 2020 and 2023.
The study found that the newfound openness to religion in the Ethiopian
media is deficient. The ‘broadcasting licences’ for religious organizations do not permit local radio stations or transmission through terrestrial television but are a registration system to map organizations which use the Internet and satellite to distribute religious programmes to Ethiopian audiences. The authorities continue to be suspicious of religious broadcasting and fear that extreme actors will destabilize the social
order if they get access to the airwaves. The state media – officially called public media – neglect and downplay religious conflict issues in their coverage. However, with the many private media outlets as well as the social media on the scene, it has become harder for the state media to control the narrative around religious issues altogether. The content analysis shows that polarization is still a major problem in the reporting of religion in the Ethiopian media. Stories are often biased towards the
journalist’s political and ethnic stance.
Claiming that they are ’secular’, the state media (’public media’) tend to ignore important religious issues and conflicts which have resulted in loss of lives, burning of religious buildings, and displacement of people. The media appear to be ambivalent between applying a peculiar interpretation of ’secular’ principles by ignoring religion, or deciding to report such issues. The report stresses the importance of sensitizing reporters about religious issues and making the media more ethically responsible when reporting religion.
Journalism Studies, Jul 11, 2023
In African media practice, journalists commonly receive money from their sources. Instead of cond... more In African media practice, journalists commonly receive money from their sources. Instead of condemning these cash or in-kind payments, Behanu Lodamo and Terje Skjerdal strive to describe Ethiopia’s “manila envelope” system from the inside, to understand the practice’s internal logic. The authors show how some payments that external observers would perceive as corrupt are seen by the parties involved as alternative yet legitimate forms of professional incentivizing.
African Identities, 2021
The purpose of this study was exploring evidence of a community-based environment and forest deve... more The purpose of this study was exploring evidence of a community-based environment and forest development program run by an organization. It is a thematic analysis of scientific documents related to the experiences and challenges were explored. The academic study carefully followed a holistic approach to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders. The organization has been striving to improve environmental challenges, climate change, and sustainable development in Ethiopia. A qualitative method was properly employed. The results prove a causal relationship between improvements in environmental security and sustainable development in the region. The working framework of the organization is that it is inseparably linked to the mutual commitment of the government. However, the insightful reports sufficiently demonstrate that there is no clear and adopted standard policy that can be applied across project phases. Moreover, the results purportedly show that successful partnerships and image building are critically important to the outstanding achievement of its key objectives. The communication strategy remains the key instrument to encourage the partnership of stakeholders. There was a unique culture of properly documenting communication success and apparent failure in the annual reports on community projects. Likewise, the organization adequately identified effective communication as the grand strategy of project implementation. Nonetheless, the organization cannot merely fulfill its potential for efficiently implementing the possible activities of community projects. Communicating the results to stakeholders was also significantly weaker than ever. Moreover, the implementation strategy does not show how and when to properly apply the communication strategies. The apparent lack of communication infrastructure and considerable delay in responses from the potential funders impeded executing the specific projects and establishing effective communication with local stakeholders at the grassroots level. We subtly suggest the organization carefully consider all the possible pitfalls and combine participatory environmental communication as a modest means of merely executing community-based projects.
This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on ... more This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on a content analysis of newspaper, television, radio and online news in 37 countries.
Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
Studies suggest that, at the routine level, news beats function as unique “micro-cultures.” Explo... more Studies suggest that, at the routine level, news beats function as unique “micro-cultures.” Exploring this “particularist” approach in news content, we compare how the interventionist, watchdog, loyal, service, infotainment, and civic roles materialize across 11 thematic news beats and analyze the moderating effect of platforms, ownership, and levels of political freedom on journalistic role performance in hard and soft news. Based on the second wave of the Journalistic Role Performance (JRP) project, this article reports the findings of a content analysis of 148,474 news items from 37 countries. Our results reveal the transversality of interventionism, the strong associations of some topics and roles, and the limited reach of news beat particularism in the face of moderating variables.
Heliyon, 2022
This study examined non-formal Environmental Education (EE) is employed in interventions aimed at... more This study examined non-formal Environmental Education (EE) is employed in interventions aimed at empowering rural society in Ethiopia. The study focused on a relatively less explored area of how non-formal EE in the form of project-based learning and how it was used to equip the community with skills and knowledge. Using qualitative data collection methods and thematic analysis was employed as an analytical strategy, the study produced evidence of the importance of community programs to out-of-school youths and adults in the acquisition of fundamental skills and knowledge. Greening campaigns were found to be essential in sustaining the lives of the rural communities. As demonstrated in the study, community projects aimed at enhancing learning are in sync with theory of project-based learning. Assisted by relevant conceptualization, the organization which motivated this study, develops insights for knowledge management for further implementation strategies. Its major focus is on empowering poor communities and their institutions by ensuring environmental security and livelihoods. As crucial stakeholders, communities received knowledge and technical skills through experience sharing, training, and workshops. Findings further indicated that most of the project community members were illiterate prior to their engagement in the project activities, which demonstrated that they needed to acquire basic knowledge and skills enact agency. Many community members became part of the project because of the mobilization and awareness creation campaign by the local development organization. However, there have been several roadblocks to the implementation of the community projects. But most importantly the study shows, skills and knowledge imparted through EE were important to implement community projects, helping to enhance community participation in raising environmental quality, thereby improving environmental performance, farming methods, and livelihood situations. We suggest project-based learning be used as a tool for community empowerment initiatives aimed at responding to environmental problems.
The shifting role of journalism in a digital age has affected long-standing journalistic norms ac... more The shifting role of journalism in a digital age has affected long-standing journalistic norms across media platforms. This has reinvigorated discussion on how work in online newsrooms compares to other platforms that differ in media affordances and forms. Still, more studies are needed on whether those differences translate into distinct practices, especially when examining cross-national studies. Based on the second wave of the Journalistic Role Performance (JRP) project, this article reports the findings of a content analysis of 148,474 stories produced by 365 media organizations from 37 countries, comparing the performance of journalistic roles in online newsrooms to three other types of media—TV, radio, and print. The paper analyzes if journalistic roles present themselves differently across platforms, and if these differences are constant or they vary across countries. Results show that there are measurable differences in role performance in online journalism compared to other...
and Corporate Communication, universidad rey Juan Carlos (urJC), madrid, spain; q Department of s... more and Corporate Communication, universidad rey Juan Carlos (urJC), madrid, spain; q Department of social studies, university of tartu, Estonia; r Journalism and strategic Communication Program, northwestern university in Qatar, Doha, Qatar; s interfaculty initiative in information studies, the university of tokyo, tokyo, Japan;
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2021
Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 2022
"Using Ethiopia as its case, this dissertation discusses a classic problem in jo... more "Using Ethiopia as its case, this dissertation discusses a classic problem in journalism sociology, specifically the dilemma of media practitioners who face multiple commitments. One stream of research within this area has focused on the conflict that arises when journalists find their professional commitment to be challenged by a commitment to a non-professional community such as the nation. An accepted theory maintains that journalists in such situations will protect a sense of professionalism by shifting between loyalties, where media prac-titioners for a limited period exchange their ‘ordinary’ professional loyalty for loyalty to the nation. According to the theory, the professional mindset is eventually restored through a process of ‘paradigm repair’. This approach may be described as a model of ‘shifting loyalties’. The current research project considers the theory through the case of Ethiopia, a transitional society characterized by strong state/government dominance in the media sector. The study applies a combination of personal interviews, newsroom observation and content analysis, with main emphasis on qualitative interviews with 67 journalists from three state-owned media institutions. The researched institutions comprise of a television station (Ethiopian Television), a daily newspaper (The Ethiopian Herald), and a news agency (Ethiopian News Agency), all of which in various ways are affected by government control. The research finds journalism culture in the Ethiopian state media to be circumscribed by a combination of aspiring professionalism, vague control and personal opportunism. Through a culture of self-censorship and discourses of fear in the newsroom, journalists pro-duce and reproduce a subservient reporting style. At the same time, reporters rescue a sense of professionalism by exploiting the journalistic adiophoron, trusting a critical public, and adhering to national interest. On the normative level, the journalists are found to express dual loyalty to the profession and the nation, while a potential loyalty to the government is observed as broken. The research concludes that the recognized approach of ‘shifting loyalties’ does not convincingly describe the situation for journalists in the Ethiopian state media. The interviewed journalists do not portray an environment where they normally stay professional and occasionally swop to national loyalty, but rather describe how both loyalties are present at the same time, persistently and forcefully. Thus, the research submits that within the Ethiopian context, professional and national loyalties can hardly be treated separately as if the journalists subscribe to one identity the one day and another the next. In place of a model of shifting loyalties, the research therefore proposes a model of ‘competing loyalties’."
Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, 2010
This study investigates self-censorship practices in Ethiopian state media institutions. Through ... more This study investigates self-censorship practices in Ethiopian state media institutions. Through indepth interviews with 61 journalists, the study discloses extensive use of self-censorship on the part of journalists who try to conform to the expected reporting style of the state media. The journalists are largely critical of self-censorship, but continue with the practice despite their reservations. The study suggests that editors and reporters assume a set of underlying justifications to validate the practice on a personal level and make it appear professional for outsiders. The justifications are found to follow four lines of argument: (1) relegation of ethical responsibility; (2) elasticity of journalistic editing; (3) confidence in critical audiences; and (4) adherence to social responsibility. It is further found that there is a remarkable discrepancy between the relatively open-minded official editorial policy of the Ethiopian state media and the restrictive reporting practices followed by the journalists. It is suggested that discourses of fear play a significant role in the reproduction of self-censorship in the concerned media organizations. The phenomenon of self-censorship is widespread in African media practices. It is found in both the private and the state-owned media; in new and old media; during times of tension and indeed also in more peaceful periods. It is, according to Derek Forbes, as common as political influence on the media, thus he suggests that 'political interference and self-censorship go together in African journalism' (2005, 61). Even so, scholarly analyses of the practices are limited. To the extent that self-censorship is examined, the analyses tend to focus on the political and legal conditions that cause self-censorship instead of the journalists' own experience of the practice and how they reflect on it. This study explores the felt conflict between self-censorship and journalistic professionalism. Through individual interviews with 61 reporters and editors in the Ethiopian state media, I try to identify the boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable self-censorship practices as experienced by the journalists, and to unearth the journalists' rationalization for putting restraints on themselves in
Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies, 2000
Abstract: The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings on the media in 19... more Abstract: The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings on the media in 1997 were probably unique from a world perspective. In contrast to attempts made elsewhere world to investigate the role of the media in relation to political procedures, the TRC ...
Høvåg kirke - de første 800 årene, 2023
Ved en sidearm til Blindleia ble ei av landets minste middelalderkirker bygd. Høvåg kirke fikk en... more Ved en sidearm til Blindleia ble ei av landets minste middelalderkirker bygd. Høvåg kirke fikk en merkelig plassering, halvveis opp i en skråning. Hvorfor bygde man ei steinkirke på dette stedet? Historien om Høvåg kirke har vært prega av gjetninger og spekulasjoner. Mye viser seg å være feil.
Denne boka forteller den mangfoldige historien til ei av Norges minst kjente middelalderkirker, fra oppføringen i høymiddelalderen, via svartedauden, reformasjonen og utvidelser på 1700- og 1800-tallet, til den store restaureringen på 1900-tallet.
Journalism Studies, 2023
This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic based on a... more This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic based on a content analysis of newspaper, television, radio, and online news in 37 countries. We test a set of hypotheses derived from two perspectives on the role of journalism in health crises. Mediatization theories assume that news media tend to sensationalize or to politicize health crises. A contrasting perspective holds that journalists shift toward more deferential and cooperative stances toward health
and political authorities in a health crisis, attempting to mobilize the public to act according to the best science. Hypotheses derived from these perspectives are tested using the standard measures of journalistic roles developed by the Journalistic Role Performance Project. Results show that the deference/ cooperation/consensus perspective is better supported, with media moving away from the Watchdog and Infotainment, and toward performance of the Service and Civic roles. We also explore differences in the pattern by country.