Towards ethno-political advocacy: Ethiopian journalists’ professional role perceptions in post-EPRDF interregnum

Abstract

The study aims at investigating the interplay between the ethnic identity politics and journalists’ role perceptions in contemporary Ethiopian media landscape. Professional roles are a key topic in journalism research along with the fundamental elements in defining journalism as a profession because they suggest and provide insights about the environment surrounding the journalists. Based on the analytical model of journalism culture and social identity theory (SIT), the article draws on qualitative interviews of journalists from the perspective of six media channels along with media and communication scholars to argue that the country’s ethno-political context shapes the media environment, which in turn influences how journalists perceive their roles. Accordingly, promoting ethno-centric identity and culture, becoming guardians and advocates for ethnic communities, mainstreaming the regional politics and hegemony, and considering themselves as struggle activators and change agents were found to be the most remarkable institutional role perceptions of journalism in the current Ethiopian media system.