Former ETV journalist condemns propaganda efforts

Oct. 23 (ESAT News) A former journalist for ETV English service says that the lack of press freedom within the state-controlled media has deteriorated so much that at least three journalists leave the organization every month.

In an interview with ESAT, Solomon says that journalists working for ETV do not have any professional or editorial freedom. He claimed that journalists are pressurized to join the ruling party as members.

The officials also force journalists to produce low quality propaganda output that conflicts with the truth on the ground, according to Solomon.

Solomon, who served ETV for three years as newscaster and reporter, revealed that the criteria to get employed or promoted through party affiliation has become an integral part of the state-controlled media.

Last week Solomon Mengistu condemned lack of editorial independence and announced his resignation on Facebook. He lamented that journalists are being ordered to produce poor trash propaganda instead of serving their people as journalists.

Solomon had declared that he would never return to the “dirty propaganda factory” in his Facebook post.

Ethiopia is one of the top three countries in the word for being a source of exiled journalists in the world, according to CPJ. Last year, Ethiopia ranked number one in this category and remains in the top league for jailing journalists including award-winning journalists like Eskinder Nega and Reeyot Alemu.