The media consultant, with 21 bloggers

 BY Bezawit Teferi (Mekelle University)
  
This is an email interview with Mr Hailemelekot T/berehan.

The media consultant Hailemelekot T/berehan

Melat:-The social media seems broke the stories preceding the mainstream media nowadays. So its impact is that more people may get up-to-date information from the social media than the mainstream media. You might guess what is going to happen if it pursues like this.

 
Haile :-More and more people might give attention to the social media than the mainstream media. But but this is not an insurmountable problem for the mainstream media. Still there is ample room to work on it.

Nahom:-Do you think journalism is a field that has to be given at University level? More specifically, from the perspective of citizen journalism, should this field be given by degree?


Haile:- I would like to assure you that you are studying an excellent field if it is of your passion. You don't need to worry about the challenge of citizen journalism that much. It's undeniable that it poses a challenge but don't consider it as a threat and discourage you.Sure, journalism will keep on one of the fields to be provided in Universities and follow your ambitions.

Temesgen;-From the perspective of press freedom, does online journalism has it's own rules or some other different laws? In other words, what is the press freedom for online journalism?
 

Haile:- Online journalism has its own rules and regulations which has to abide by in so many countries around the world. Yet, there is no such law that governs it here in Ethiopia. As to my understanding the essence of press freedom in online journalism is not different from that of traditional media. Yet, we have to wait for the laws to be promulgated here in Ethiopia

Reste:-after the emergence of citizen journalism, Professional journalism become a dying profession. so what is your Advise to professional journalists to enhance the field???

 
 Haile:-wonder the mainstream media is dying due to citizen journalism. Both are working in their own way and no doubt the latter poses a challenge on the former. But I don't think it reaches on survival level. Just be loyal to the profession and keep all the ethics and professionalism if it needs to thrive in the future.

 Hana:-please tell your idea about the impact of social media on the profession of journalism?

 
Haile:-The social media seems broke the stories preceding the mainstream media nowadays. So its impact is that more people may get up-to-date information from the social media than the mainstream media. You might guess what is going to happen if it pursues like this. More and more people might give attention to the social media than the mainstream media.

Andualem:-how can  you thinking about progress of online journalism in Ethiopia ??

 

Haile:-Online journalism in Ethiopia is at early stage. It is very much infantile. As you know one needs to have internet connection and a computer to engage in online journalism. I think you can make an educated guess on how many people do have internet connection and access to computers in Ethiopia. It heavily relies on that. In fact nowadays people can have internet access from their phones but that is still limited. Just think the progress of online journalism in this context. 

Yohans:- What do you think about to days Freedom of Press and Freedom of Expression in Ethiopia?

 

 Haile:-To be honest with you, the issue of freedom of press and freedom of expression is quite a delicate matter in Ethiopia. It seems you are also very much aware of that and tried to change the angle of your question from what you have said specifically about Ethiopian to a general sense latter. It doesn't mater.We can talk about the issue in Ethiopia in a precise way.

Freedom of press and expression is a constitutionally guaranteed right in Ethiopia as per Article 29 of the FDRE Constitution as well as subsequent proclamation of the Freedom of the Mass media and Access to Information,590/2008. In fact the laws are there, but serious irregularities are observed in the implementation. What you have to bear in mind that, developing professionalism is very crucial while working as a journalist. This gives you the credibility and doesn't give any room of error for those who might be critical of it. Yet, even if the framework is there, some one should not feel everything is smooth as of the developed nations. It is a right which is very fragile in Ethiopian context and every body claims to have of it.

Having all the issues above, bear in mind that a lot is expected from you-Journalism students for its real professionalism development in the future.

Behaylu:- what do you think about the role of Ethiopian broadcast media on political system of Ethiopia?

 

Haile:-As any country, the broadcast media plays an insurmountable role in influencing and guiding the political atmosphere in Ethiopia. What may differ is that the role of the media in stirring the politics in Ethiopia is not that much of other developed nations.Bear in mind that our system has its own limitations.

Smehal:-As you know there is a negative perspective towards Ethiopian journalists in our country.
To be a journalist you have to be advocator of the government. And how can i be a neutral and objective     journalist in this situation?

 

Haile:-Well, it depends on the environment you are working on. If you are working on government media, you may be obliged to have a pro-government tone. Yet, what you need to understand is that, even if you are working on  a private media, as the professional ethics says so, you need to dig out the truth and the fact. You don't need to be biased. Yet, as a private media, you may have some thoughts which you stand for. So, as long as you are aware of the ideals of journalism, there are private media as well. So you can join there and grow your career.
  
Mesfn:-How do  you describe the impact of new media on journalism?

 
Haile:-The social media (new media) seems broke the stories preceding the mainstream media nowadays. So its impact is that more people may get up-to-date information from the social media than the mainstream media. You might guess what is going to happen if it pursues like this. More and more people might give attention to the social media than the mainstream media.

Meseret:-in our country online media can be expand from time to time so, what do you think about our feature traditional media?

Haile:-The future of traditional media in Ethiopia will not be different from the online media. There are several factors for this including internet connectivity and access to computer. You can guess the penetration rate of internet in Ethiopia. Thus, there is a huge potential both for the mainstream media and online media to thrive in Ethiopia in the future.

Endale: For what purpose you use online media why you chose to use it?

 
Haile:- use online media mainly to get information as to my areas of interest. I choose to use online media as it provides up-to-date information instantly.

  

Elyas:-Nowadays News and Information is written and published by any ordinary person out of his/ her profession in social media like Facebook ,twitter and any information  news is reached for millions with in a second.What do you think about this issue as professional , what would be the role of a journalist for future?

Haile:-The emergence of social media and its ability to garner more and more people to it is a plus as a way of alternative source of information. But you need to bear in mind that the social media is more of people's opinion and not exactly the same with the mainstream media. The mainstream media is looking for facts and truth.But journalists will keep on doing their professional work at least in the near future with all the components of its professionalism and ethics.

Bisrat:-Now a days every body becomes a journalist so what is the use of professional journalist?

 

Haile:-There are challenges from citizen journalism on the mainstream media. But, I don't see the future of mainstream media that much gloomy. It will keep on playing a crucial role. Somewhat the missions of the two differ as well.

 Michal:-What do you think ,Can bloggers would be journalist according to our ethics of journalism???

 

 Haile:-Well, bloggers can be journalists or not. The way they do their reporting matter. As you might be well aware, journalists try to tell the objective truth, report facts fairly, strives for balance and disclose bias.So,what matters here is whether bloggers do exercise these very components or not. Experience shows that some bloggers simply put opinions in their blogs and some strives for those ideals stated above. You also do need to bear in mind that a glut of journalists do have their own blogs.In a nutshell, you can call those bloggers who are in line with journalistic ethics bloggers and the others not.

Tsiyon:-As you are working on media consulting company and also experienced both the traditional and the new media in the country,how far do you think the development of citizen journalism in the country is becoming a challenge for the traditional media in revising its content?

 

Haile:-Citizen journalism is becoming a challenge to the mainstream media around the globe. Yet, in the context of Ethiopia, you don't need to consider it as a challenge yet. This is due to the fact that both the mainstream media and the social media are at an early stage of development. There is still a huge potential on both sides to work on it.

Frehiwot:-how are  using the on line media i want to share some of your information about that?

 

Haile:-I use online media mainly to get information as to my areas of interest. I choose to use online media as it provides up-to-date information instantly.

  

Haymanot:-in online journalism we can advert any good's and service so how to get payment?

 

Haile:- In Ethiopia, you make an agreement in advance including the payment before the ad is posted physically going to office or in some other mechanisms. You can collect the money in this manner. Yet, in most countries, electronic payment methods such as visa card and master card is possible.

Wendyfraw- What will be the future of journalists and traditional media???

 Haile:-Anyhow, in a broader sense, as to my understanding the future of journalists and the mainstream media will remain bright. They will keep on going provider of the main source of information. Yet, there is an insurmountable challenge the mainstream media faced from what recently dubbed " Citizen Journalism" or "Social Media".

In this regard, it seems that this very social media broke the stories world wide preceding the mainstream media. So in the future, the lingering reality is " For whom the mainstream media break the stories"? Citizens are everywhere and they will tweet,post on Facebook etc. right away.

Bezawit:-What kind of ability journalists must have in social media to get the attention of audience?”

Haile:- Well, journalists must have all the professional talent possibly what you have learned in your class including the ethics. So this also works while you are working in social media as well.

 THE END !