| In Ethiopia,television is one of the main sources of information for audience.EBC(TV)as a mainstream media has been serving its audiences since its establishment in 1964.After the fall down of the military regime,Ethiopian development policy has been active for about two decades.In the era of development and a combat against poverty and backwardness Ethiopian media played great role in creating development agenda and changing the working habit of the society.ETV especially as government media is playing its media role in executive role of government development policies.In creating drought challenging community,in securing peace and development,the media filled information vacuum of the government and the people by delivering timely government policy agenda and public demands.The development journalism model,that is the government media philosophy,also played its great role on supporting government policies,its development activities,and,as well,government domestic and foreign policies as media diplomatic activities.The central focus of this study is assessing “the role of Ethiopian state media in promoting Ethio-China diplomatic relations in a Case Study of ETV”.ETV station information and news department on its wider roles as media diplomatic bridge on promoting diplomatic relationship of Ethiopia and China transmitted different Chinese development project news.Projects that are constructed by Chinese companies since 2012 and some of which were under construction or completed get news coverage for their contribution on the social as well as-economic development of the country.The news coverage was mainly focused on their benefits to the local community,on job creation,technology transfer and on growing the per capita income of individuals of the country.The television station also used the development journalism model in order to promote Chinese engagement on main poverty reduction activities.Ethiopian conducive foreign policy and stratagem,enabled to attracted many companies from China.Infrastructure development,real-estate,and agriculture mechanization,are the other sectors entertaining Chinese companies in the country.The policy has given due emphasis to the industry,as the country is shifting to industry-led economy from the largely agricultural one,on this regard Chinese companies contribution is immense.The role of Chinese companies in Ethiopia's Investment,get special attention by the people and as well by the government.From development journalism philosophy and practice,the role of Chinese companies in Ethiopia's development is immense.This is the fact that ETV set Ethio-China economic diplomacy as its prior media agenda for the last two decades.Specifically,the research attempted to discover the media role of Ethiopian television station and its news outlets which fill the diplomatic reporting gaps and to show how Development journalism is practically been applied in enhancing Ethiopian diplomatic efforts,specially the media role in promoting Ethio-China bilateral relations.The Ethiopian ‘development journalism model' is broadly exercised to achieve development in the country.Since ETV is government owned station,it is responsible to disseminate government development plans and their performances with the countries transformation and growth goals,related activities and instigate the public to participate in development activities of the country.ETV produced and disseminated many news stories which are contributing motivational informative and educational timely news events which were designed with a professional responsibility in promoting Ethiopian diplomatic works like(diplomacy television program),and documentary series on mega projects which are supported and financed by Chinese companies,huge industrial park.Under this situation challenges like,lack of professional journalists,self-censorship and effectiveness challenged ETV from performing its role to its maximum goals of promoting Ethio-China diplomatic ties to the all corners of the globe and domestic audience.Following its fiftieth year of anniversary of the media,ETV gave special attention to diplomatic works.As a result new media team was established.The “diplomatic reporting team” of the television station worked its diplomatic issue programs,news,and documentaries in order to promote the diplomatic relations with the world.Ethiopian ‘development journalism' played its role in encouraging Ethiopian peaceful political environment to invite and host foreign direct investment.Economic diplomacy with the world,especially with China,the major strategic partnership of Ethiopia is number one agenda by participating on government development policies.EBC produced some new events which are playing great role in promotion of diplomatic relations like diplomacy program,and continuous documentary productions.The result pointed out that,state media reporters in code of journalistic conduct perceived their role as being developmental,but were less secured concerning the effectiveness of their profession.Success stories mainly came from state office streams prioritized more focus in the media house.These stories are principally economic related in their behavior;they are also framed from the higher officials' reports.Despite the fact that there are initiatives to set development agenda through development contents,they are presented mainly from higher officials angles.This is somewhat because the news primarily came from higher ruling party leaders and officials.State owned news agencies are the main streams of news.Ethio-China relations are comprehensive and diversified in nature,this relation was getting high media coverage and is also prior media agenda in the television station.The research assed its roles on promoting diplomatic relations of Ethiopia and china,its challenges in reporting diplomatic works with development journalistic model,the opportunities and challenges on its works.The research also investigated how development journalism model is effective to promote a diplomatic relations and finally suggested that new diplomacy journalistic model is more effective to the international relations works.More over the research tried to suggest and recommend china to follow new journalistic model in order to reach its audience in a very attractive media approach.Today the world dynamics is asking to improve any aspects of communication for the betterment of once survival.In this regard media has undeniable role in transmitting ideology and policies.For further effective diplomatic works new journalism model is demanding a diplomatic activity.That is the new ‘journalism model of diplomacy',this will be effective to change the media house to its specialized news programs,documentary works,face to face discussions with figure political analysts,international relations scholars as well as retired diplomats to share their experiences.As development journalism for the developing countries,diplomacy journalism for china Africa cooperation will have a very important power to maintain the strategic relationship with continent and the rest of Asian and Latin American countries.Especially if china tried to help Ethiopia to implement the new journalistic model as a pilot project,as the seat of African union and many other international organizations,china will be the most beneficiary from the new journalistic approach to increase its diplomatic acceptance in the world.The researcher on its recommendations pointed out what effects will have if the new journalism model is in practice both for Ethiopia and China.The research tried to indicate how development journalism was effective in promoting china's image in Ethiopia through its development activities,including trade and commerce,cultural exchanges and economic aid as well the engagement of Chinese companies in poverty reduction projects.In this regard the Ethiopian television role was great.If China takes the initiative to help Ethiopia to implement diplomacy journalism China's diplomatic ground will as usual be great and influential on African countries. |
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