The Ancient country is slowly becoming a modern country thanks to the far sighted EPRDF leadership. The country is in the midst of a historic transformation in all spheres. The city of Addis whom many think cannot be reformed nor modernized is slowly becoming a modern city. The City administration with the help of the federal government is doing all it can to do the impossible following the footsteps of Mayor Arkebe Enquay who started the transformation way back! The public as we speak is engaged rehabilitating the over farmed and overgrazed country side. Slowly and but surely Ethiopia is joining the modern world. In all of this one thing is missing.
Information is power they say! It has been that way all along but it is more so now that the world is living in the information age. The state owned Ethiopian Television has been the sole information provider and transmitter up to now. Sadly many think the agency has not been up to the task. Although of late, the agency has been trying its best to do more with its international coverage many think it lacks quality programming.
Competition in a market economy is critical and we thought competition may be what is needed to improve the quality of Ethiopian television programming. No one knows for sure when the Ethiopian government will allow private ownership of Television stations. However until that day comes the government should create different management to run different Television stations. Having different management will introduce competition which should help quality programming. Currently there are two Television stations on the air (ETV and ETV2). Instead of both stations being managed by the same agency the government should lease one of the stations to be managed by outsiders with a clear mandate to compete with ETV or at the very least have the two stations address different needs. If the city of Addis Ababa can be reformed and reconstructed to become a modern city, certainly, Ethiopian Television agency can be encouraged to do more. Ethiopian Telecom and Ethiopian Television/Radio are to relic organizations that needs reform now and not tomorrow! Do you agree…Have your say!
I have a suggestion. The government should copy CSPAN model in the USA and instruct ETV to do likewise and allow private company to own TV stations. CSPAN-ETH can report governemnt news and private TV can serve other needs of the community. If there is a need to keep TV under government control then I will second your idea of creating competition.
you mean give ETV2 to other party puppet
I say, NO thanks our ear dram (tympanic membrane ) is perforated by your propaganda
No one care about ETV1 in Ethiopia the whole country going deaf …
Just sale everything
private tv stations are absolultely necessary. the government run tv station is so ineffective and can’t be said it is playing its duty . etv is not doing things that it could have . for instance it hosted a debate about the press and ngo laws AFTER the laws were inacted in parliament. it should have been done during the process of legislation so that the public could have a say on it and build a consensus in the process. but lack of competition made them not to have any incentive to improve. above all the public should have a right to have choices of tv stations . limiting tv to a single government run ineffective staion is not only undemocratic ,outdated but also incompatible with a vibrant society that is well informed and responsible .,competition in tv is also necessary for a vibrant film industry which i think has a lot of potential. why don’t we see experiences of countries like kenya ,egypt ,india ,pakistan and so many others who have multiple private tvs. i say we need private tvs and telecom. we know we will have it sooner or later. why not act now
Dear Aigaforum moderator,
First of all I would like to thank you for giving us the chance to watch ETV live broadcast. even though I’m not sure how long its gonna last. But i don’t thing the current ETV programs, and professionalism of the journalist is up to international standard. The government should allow other interested parties, specially the private sector to participate in the TV broadcasting in order to enhance the quality of information flow and satisfying the demands of various sectors of the society. What we have now is simply better than nothing. Than you!
well the problem is not about giving it out to private agencies or lease it out….the main concern should be will there be any responsible group that will come out and do thier job responsibly?the government should take a very studied action which i think will do.
we have seen many disastrous irresponsible action from private press in the past,was that not enough?democracy is a process…we have to take it easy on those kind of actions….privatizing tv stations….there shouldnt be no distarction from the progress we making right now……we are trying to eat trice a day….if you leave the capital and got to the rural areas where more than 80%of the population lives this topic is too far from being thier issue …..lets not be out of touch…..i agree that etv got to do a lot .Its a big responsibilty they are having.we have many issues all over which needs to be adressed…a lot of people have issues with government officials being corrupt …who should be there to expose them?its etv’s responsibility …thier job shouldnt be echoing only the officials word…they have to check and report if they walk the walk as they talk the talk
so i suggest that the agency can control the channels but use the other channel as “HBO” ..THAT IS STrICTLY ENTERTAINMENT..they can add news programs by leasing air times from bbc/france 24….and for the entertainment programs they can give it out as abid for local entertainment groups….
I haven’t watched ETV for years before I left Ethiopia 5 years ago,,,,except Sun program. It is probably the crappiest TV station that exists in the world….One has to wonder if ETV is what it is because of programming format or gov policy and my suspect is the later……..thanks to the cheap satellite channels these days addis ababans care less about ETV
I would like to appriciate the person who brings up this topic. If I had to grade ETV out of 10, I would have given them generiously 0/10. Ethiopian Goverment is spending millions of dollars to run the state TV however, it is the most inefficient and boring TV I have ever seen. Ethiopians are tired of watching this outdated TV station and switched to other satelite stations. Infact some Ethiopians interested to watch EriTV rather than ETV. This indicated that how bad this station is. Ethiopia population is more than 80 million but one station for this this big country is very embressing. Each major languages(Amharic, Tigrigna and Oromigna) should have separate and 24 hour air time but would this happen by the goverment? NO. The goverment should lease the air time to private investors other wise no one will watch ETV as it is. This is my two cent advice to the goverment.
ETV has shown great improvements since its latest configuration following the demise of the Ministry of Information. Given the current demand and expectations of viewers, both Ethiopians and foreigners, ETV must admit to the fact that there remains room for improvements in programming and presentation. Addis Ababa has, indeed, become the New York of Africa, with the seats of the AU and UNECA attracting thousands of permanent ans casual workers from all over the world. Add to this the 100 plus diplomatic missions in Addis and you can understand how vitally important it is for ETV satisfactorilly cater for this section of non-Amharic viewers. The current morning slot not only needs polishing up in presentation, but needs to be changed into an evening slot when non-Amharic viewers are able to watch in the comfort of their homes. You then have the problem of ETV’s English News being delivered sometimes 48 hours after the Amharic News. This state of affairs leaves a lot of foreigners to be dependet entirely on outside sources which, at times, can be at odds with a government’s statement.
Meanwhile, while still on sources of information, nothing less than a root-and-branch change is urgently needed in the Ethiopian News Agency. For your information most recently it published:”President Girma took leave of Office of Ambassador…” Of course, it should have read:”The Ambassador took Leave of Office.”
I live in London and every time i see the CCTV picture on London buses it reminds me of ETV. Never mind their creativity, the quality of the picture or lack of it is pathetic to say the least. ETV can’t even exploit the obvious and undeniable infrastructural progress in the country to produce good programs. I have yet to see a clear and well constructed video pictures of Gotera junction for example. ETV should learn a thing or two from ER-TV which manipulates pictures and turns a battered land of misery Eritrea in to a land of milk and honey. Trust me It works, I used to see a well taken picture of Komishtato in Asmara and assumed, the whole Eritrea to look like Komishtato, and even had a desire to visit the country until a close friend showed me how harsh and ghostly the country is. but with Ethiopiansns it’s the contrary. we are good at letting others(AID orgns) exploit our misfortunes but we are BAD at selling our good side. wake up Ethiopians wake up, if we can afford Gilgel gibe 1,2,3,4,5, surely we can afford the latest digital equipment. don’t you think so…have your say…
I don’t think it is about organisational structure. ETV has to begin to pay for origninal ideas reasonably. Many writers in Ethiopia had pitched an original storyline or format for a new series in ETV. The bosses of ETV both on Alemseged era and Bereket era tell the writers ” what a wonderful storyline/or serious idea !! We love it. But we just want you to know by coincidence we had come with almost an identical idea, so we won’t be able to use yours” And then the writer ses his idea produced badly on the screen.
Do you understand that nobody is watching etv anymore except weyane. Sound people stopped watching it a long time ago. NO THANKS. IT IS JUNK
Dear Aiga,
I have read all the above comments post before mine. Got most if not all very interesting. To summarize all, the above twieeters do not want to see ETV.
Specially, one of the guy point out that debate open after the law is debated in the parliament and passed as a law and very fun no? what is the use to debate a new topic once if it is passed as a law?
Here where I live, debate open for public few months before it is either voted by the people or inacted by the parilamenters.
I don’t really want or exige the TPLF gov to have same news media as aljazeera , CNN, BBC, France24, or so…….but after 20 years in power and preaching day and night democracy, they might better understand HOW MUCH ETV MAKE ETHIOPIANS DEAF.
I was in ETH in 2007 for 12 days and I didn’t see one time when my family open the ETV. But they watch foreign channels either they understand it or not.
The blindly afraid of the gov that ETV will be left alone if there is a private channel is simply baseless and unfound.
The journalist can do a better work and can be more competetive.
The ETV journalists are the most irritating guys ever heard.
To be honest I prefer to listen mister Zenawi than those the so called journalists.
They are blind for their daily bread even some times, I am not sure if the gov imposes them to produce that kind of ugly programming.
I wonder if any one listens us but we have to atleast say it here out
Election is coming and ETV is not up to the task. Take the recent discussion on ETV’s program on the private press and discussion on the code of conduct. The moderators are not capable to moderate…there is no flow of ideas. One 0f the moderators (more than ones) finishes what the people on the podium were going to say…the pace of the discussion is pathetically slow and delves into theory. On one of the programs Shemeles kemal (BTW good job Shimeles…in a better setting with skilled moderators I have confidence you will hold your own) was trying to do the job of representing communication ministry…and telling the moderators how to shape the discussion so that it becomes relevant to today state of the press in Ethiopia.
Moderating a discussion is not done willy-nilly…that is why you have heavy weights selected to do moderation during election in the states…
And why do they have to wear the same cloth…they look like clowns. and they sneaker after asking question, they cut the free flow of ideas by stating it will be address on later part of the program, the questions are pathetic. Why do they ask to explain a sentence instead of asking the parties real time issues in implementing the code of conduct? uuf…KESHIMOCH..they are not up to the job. EPRDF works and ETV kills it.
We need a competing station.
Dear Aigas,
It is good that you table this topic for discussion. I begin by saying yes – ETV has shown some remarkable changes and improvemeents in the last few years. Especially it was active in reflecting the development activities in both the rural and urban areas. It has been reaching out the farmers who constitute more than 80% of the total population.
This is a correted version of my parag. above
It may not have done a lot on the entertainment aspect though. Some people above are commenting that we have to copy American TV channels programs. This indeed is an inappropriate compariosn.
If responsible and considerate individuals are NOT available, it may not be bad to privatize ETV. But a country where there are more 80 ethnic groups and different language, investors can abuse it and can cause untold ethnic strife and thus social instability.
What’s needed is a fundamental perception change on the side of EPRDF government on what Television service in Ethiopia should be. If EPRDF continues to believe, like the governments before it, that TV is a medium for dissemination of government controlled news, programs, and propaganda, we will remain stuck with boring, embarassing, and not-ready from prime time services. On the other hand, if EPRDF recognizes that TV should be a service based on free expression of views, opinions, creativity, and yet governed by the country’s laws and regulations, then the government should get out of the TV service business entirely, and allow the private sector to develop it in a manner that would inform, educate, entertain, and inspire the people. Government’s role should only be regulation. Then will come competition, and innovation. Ethiopians at home and in the diaspora would bring in their resources and experience, to elevate Ethiopian television to match the rest of the world. I for one would make my contribution to this noble cause any day.
Quit this age old propaganda of putting TPLF in diapers. We need dratic change not on ETV, but on the bad machinery that controls ETV. There is nothing wrong with ETV, is doinf perfectly what is told to do. The problem is with the lords of the TPLF ranks who want everthing their way in the country of 80 million people. Get rid of TPLF, Ethiopian will enjoy world class Televesion service.
Ethiopian Television is not to the Task; above all, people have lost faith on its reporting. Therefore, if the Ethiopian government wants to restore faith on ETV it should privatize it. For instance, please take a look at the various reports those the Ethiopian Reporter has reported about ETV.
I have to say i agree with what Aiga is suggesting. ETV1 does indeed need a competition and ETV2 indeed should be sold to a private company. What ETV needs is Quality of the different programs that they air as far as the news ancers they need a more better trained ancers who are able to read from a tel prompter wrather than a paper and i have to say some of them especially the guys need to step up with the way they present themselves(percisly their looks) i belive all of this will play a roll in to making ETV a better chanal/ so i say Quality Quality Quality is a must (music selections if the music video does not have quality i don’t think it deserves to be aired on tv and that makes the musicians want to make a better music video,the same with dramas…beside i belive in the long run this will creat more job opportunities as more and more people will compete to become a better editor,film maker, choriographer and what not) i know i just wrote all this on top of my head but am sure if you take bits and pice of this you will get the picture good luck to ETV
I disagree with this quote
“Currently there are two Television stations on the air (ETV and ETV2). Instead of both stations being managed by the same agency the government should lease one of the stations to be managed by outsiders with a clear mandate to compete with ETV”.
I do not think that Aigaforum understands properly how TV networks work and operate. An organization can have as many networks and channels as it wishes so long as it feels that a single network is not enough to satisfy the market, propaganda, or whatever its objectives are. For example NBC has expanded into multiple channels including the cable networks with names like MSNBC, CNBC, so on and so fourth.
In this respect, the ETV network has two channels (eg ETV1, ETV2). If it feels it has to, it may and should even expand into ETV3, ETV4, ETV5, ETV6 etc….(give the Aigaforum people a huge nightmare…LOL)
What Aigaforum should instead argue for is for the government to encourage for the formation of other independent networks that specialize lets say in sports, entertainment, science fiction, history, so on and so fourth.
Another thing Aigaforum should argue for is improving the quality of ETV. For example, ETV news in English still has reporters that struggle to utter out every word of English with an accent so heavy that it sounds like some sort of a joke! I do not think there is any shortage of people that speak proper English in the country yet I fail to understand why ETV brings Meserete Temhirt level English speakers to its English program.
regarding the etv, there can be a lot to say. the solution is to have professionale giornalistes and good programm.
this tv should follow , the national programm and sensibilise ethiopian people.
privatize the tv is not good, we have seen in many part of the world privete tvs , they are slave of the rich masters who owen them.
it is possibile to to have private tv , in the conuntry togther with national tv.
I will never suggest to sale etv to privete and let them do what they want.
Ethiopians are doing exprience in all things, and give them do.
ethiopian Airlens , belong to the government, but it is doing well.
I am sure , that even etv fara better on time, so let give them chance.
information is power and power is EPRDF then information is EPRDF!!!
the secret is to get the people with merit!!!!
The government has to hire foreign professionals to upgrade and modernize the over all image of ETV, because clearly there is lack of capacity in technical aspects of its employee.
Secondly the station has to have 24/7 English language station to reach the captive audience of the Diplomatic corp and all visiting dignitaries.
Thirdly the management of the stations should be run by professionals(who have the know how), not political cadre appointee, however the government can appoint cadres to oversee the editorial of news and content of the messages if you will.
Last but not least in a country like Ethiopia, at least we should have 5 independent channels who cater to different segment of the population.
I think the Ethiopian journalists should learn what professional journalism is work within the electronoc media commission framework. I am not sure if Ethiopia has established electronic media commision and what their guideline is. Without an electronic media commision to provide guidance, private electronic medias will act the same as the private news papers, just be used by poliitical gadgets. Bottomline, there should be electronic media commision before allowing unprofessional journalist start speaking to the national media microphone!
Someone just read my mind. Few days ago I was so upset watching ETV (thru satellite) and embarrassed to note unprofessionally formatted and edited programs by government owned TV.
I am pretty sure, millions of birr spent to improve the quality. I wonder who is managing this internationally viewed station. Who is accountable for this?
With the technology we are in, the Ethiopian people don’t deserve to watch a TV run by unskilled groups.
ETV, please get your act together.
Thank you,
From observer.
I certainly agree.
It is a high time to privatize media. I mean all media(TV, Radio etc)
The governement role should be to have rules and regulations that conform to the norms, culture and social values of Ethiopia.
The Aigas:
Your commentary is absolutely wrong!!!!! Ethiopia is in the Dark Age because of the far blinded EPRDF leadership, not “far sighted” as you claim. We are in the 21st century; the country could have registered far-reaching growth and development by this time. This has happened so far because of the one-man show tyrannical rule of Zenawi that you worship more than Lord Jesus, the country has no independent and private media/press. Those allowed in the early days of TPLF’s coming to power have already withered away!
Your comment should read “The country is in the midst of a historic disinformation in all spheres” of the Ethiopian life. We have been witnessing to date by the state owned ETV acting like echo chamber of Meles and co, engaged in constant cover-ups, distortions, deceptions, blatant fabrications, yellow journalism, exaggerations, ugly rhetorical journalism, attempts of indoctrinations etc.
So, do you want duplications of the above ugly faces of journalism using different names (ETV, ETV2 etc). It doesn’t really matter!!!
RE: firstly Aigaforum is part and parcel of this devilish game of journalism, acting like the echo chamber of the regime in Addis Ababa. This is the only web site where we learn who the regime has targeted to destroy, (at least jail) and kill.
Solution: EPRDF/TPLF should be demolished like the Berlin Wall first!!! Aigaforum’s homework must be on this task first rather than discuss how to transform ETV!!
This is very importtant that when I saw EtV in Aigaform and I’m so glad and all Ethiopia Diaspora they can see it what is going on back home
Kassa Berhe
I totally agree with you that the government has to open up the airwaves to competition and bring to end the “derge” style broadcasting that discourages the majority of viewers in the country. The last time I was in Addis in 2008, I was disappointed by people opting to watch Eritrean TV. It might be for political reasons, but the government has to open up the clutched fist to let people have the option of entertainment, rather than constant politicking and endless documentary about the rural and agricultural themed “boring” stories. I would rather see programs that educate about the rest of the world (sanitation, brushing teeth, culture of hard work, etc…).This is to reflect how nations became successful by motivating and encouraging the young and restless thru venues of change i.e., other competing TV outlets). There should be cultural censorship to avoid outrightly pornographic laced programming, religious fanaticism, etc however, there should be a culture of reform to how broadcasters come into business and by breaking from the past 30+ years of lame TV programming.
The issue is not reforming or leasing or what have you. The real question is why doesn’t the government allow private sector to own and run TV channel in Ethiopia? For God’s sake, isn’t it a big shame that a country with a population of 80 millin has just one TV channel?
I firmly support your enlightening idea. Ethiopia needs people like you who has flexible or progressive sentiment.
Yohannse Eshete
It is long over due to start the ETV on the Internet, it is good that they realized the importance of informing the outsiders what is really happening right now in ETH with out relaying on half truth and half lies of other websites for information, but on the other hand it is sad to see the Ethiopian TV program which looks like straight from the early start of Televison in Ethiopia even then they had qualified people and quality programs so I am of the opinion that there should be another Ethiopian TV Station that is autonomesly managed other than the government, otherwise people will resort to other country programs and station which is happening rigtht now
One person by the name “King Solomon” commented about the low quality and bad accents on ETV’s English programme. I really don’t care as much about the foreign languages as much as I do about the programmes in Native languages. The targeted audience is very minimal anyways. But like you said there is no shortage of fluent Bilinguals/tri linguals these days.
Even though I am not a journalist, I can safely say that most of the journalists on ETV are mediocre, except for a very few. I doubt if most of them have some kind of training in the profession and they really are a mismatch to today’s Ethiopia.
The intention of the programs is fine for the most part, but the presentation and format is so ugly, that I sometimes bow my head down out of embarassment…especially the way they ask questions.
To give you an example…. one of the inevitable questions, they ask the farmers who have done well and improved their lives in the extension programme is…..”How much money do you have now?”…Just like that…So blunt and private ! And it’s so easy to see the interviewee’s unwillingness to respond. They could have presented it in so many comparative ways, without becoming so intrusive. ….That was just one example.
There are some good programs on ETV like “Shay Buna” where discussions about relevant topics are held in a very open and relaxed atmosphere. That I think is an outcome pf private production, which happens to be aired on ETV. That tells me that something good comes out of “PRIVATE”….and compare that with ETV’s Amharic programme called “ARHIBU” where they open the phone line for more questions before their guest answers the previous one. It’s a messy programme.
In my view, the private media does an excellent job in a well regulated environment. So, I say… open it up now !
If not now, atleast get the most qualified ones for the job or train them
on a thread mill …Damn it!!
As to the ETV’s Tigrinia programme, except for the news anchors like Mudu Ali, the rest should go to Mekelle and do themselves a favor and be trained by those at Dmtsi Woyane. …They are really good. I wish I could see them on the screen.
Bottom line……For what is being accomplished and for the whole transformation being undertaken in the country, Ethiopia deserves more than the ETV it has now.
here are some of the disappointing features of etv
1.poorly designed news rooms and other discussion formats.have you seen some ugly small table they have when they discuss sport or debating and so on?
2. english reporters that can barley speak proper english
3.sometimes you can’t tell if the reporter is reporting news or narrating a novel
4.poor presentation of news anchors and reporters some of them are even shy.
5. someone mentioned it above the interviewers and debate moderators don’t even seem to get prepared before the interview.they don’t ask questions that they should have or they ask stupid and nonsense questions.debate moderators lack experience and knowledge of the issue and even some basic skills of moderation.
6.tv formats,logo and other software features including editing are embarassing to say the least. there is a serious lack of effort to use latest digital tech .what you need are some latest computers and software. if there is no local talent to do this they could easily partner with a foreign channel to get updated. they can hire a professional interior designer to give its studios a face lift
the content of programmes is a whole other issue.’But the public should not be held hostage to etv.i could not understand the nervousness on the part of the government to limit the people choice. with a well planned regulation we can have positve private channels.if other countries can have it why not we
ETV has advanced a lot during EPRDF. Just help by sugesting what is to be emproved.
The joke of the century, is Ethiopian TV upto the task. It is very sad how you guys despise our people. There will be a light at the end of the light, this joke will not continue for ever.
A smart idea is to let each kilil to have their local station with programming relevant to each locality and let ETV be a government run central station. This way everyone can see television that reflects their culture in an ethiopian context; and, another central station that we all can share in common.
Ethiopia will certainly need additional TV stations. To achieve this there are a number of processes and components to be in place. There are elements need addressing. Among them……
Establishment of an independent Television broadcast ombudsman. – Legal Frame-work
Upgrade the TV Licence collection System- Establishing TV Licensing Agency- Revenue Framework
Proven Business Case by would be providers —Private /Public/Independent/….
Upgrade Commercial Legal Code on TV broadcast
There is interest and we shall do it!
This would be a very good start.
Good Luck
I agree with the first comment given by Addis. That will give choice to the people what to watch. I watch C-SPAN but not all the time.
I hope someone from the policy makers have a gut to do something like this.
God bless Ethiopia
Hi Guys,
Thanks for brining this topic for discussion, ETV want a long way from where it is before 1991, thanks to the interest of the govenmnet of Ethiopia and thanks to the 21st century technologies, internet the like. But this is not to relax there is still long way to go.
Any way there is nothing to fear, just we have to give them a detailed agreement, which can clearly explains there roles and responsibilities,
By involving the private sector we are brining capital, job opportunity, intiative and enterpnerarship,
The only thing we have to worried is that government owned ETV will have a the compitance to compite?
In the country I am living at the moment(Australia) there is a TV station is only dedicated to the govenment(ABC)
Dear Aiga forum,
I really appreciate for bringing this topic for discussion.It is really the right time to discuss about a private T.V station to be owned by responssible organization & persons.But,let us look at the private news papers & magazines.Do they really write articles that can teach people to respect nations & nationalities?
I have read all the comments given by few persons about the topic.Instead of writing directly about the topic,they simply wrote about the weakness of E.tv.No body said that all the programs that are prepared & presented by E.tv.are perfect.But,they have made a good progress than it had been before.
As a modern country,Ethiopia should have a private Tv.station in the near future.According to my understanding, it is not the right time to have private tv.stations.The government should work a lot before permitting a private tv.station
thank you
Government run media is not a sin in democracy. Many countries have government run medica. Germany has for instance two.
ETV raises many relevant issues in its programs. But they are presented poorly. There is a real lack of training and knowledge on the side of ETV employee. Most people are amater. Jornalism, cinima, film, media, etc. schools are just at the beginning in the country and there is no critical mass of professionals. Do not undermine that. The lack of professional journalism is glaringly visible in the print media already and poisoning the country. I personaly do not want the same mess to happen in TV as well. It can not be done based on good will and positive intention only.
Parellel to the government run ETV there is a need for private Tv. They will come as soon as the middle class is big enough to afford pay tv. No private tv will servive by 50 birr per year fee.
It needs time to improve.. When? ETV is not up to the standard. Boring, too bureaucratic, poor and unprofessional journalists. A propaganda machine of Esayas Eritrean TV is better in many ways. ER TV is two years ahead of ETV transmitting via Arab sat or Pan Sat.
I don’t think EPRDF knows how to use media. EPRDF is weak using media outlets since the armed struggle .
This is a very time discussion.
Having watching the ETv and their News Forecast and other programs, I have always questioned why it is so backward in its presentation as well as designing of programs. I was comparing with some neighbouring countries that do not have that much resources and yet their format and presentation is much more sophisticated and this needs to be addressed effectively. I do not believe for a second that Ethiopia does not have the knowhow, but it could be because those who are making it to the highest level in the media and production are making through some dubious way.
As long as there is no ratings and financial compitation,I guess it wouldn’t hurt to create a 2nd station,which the later being only for the purpose of entertainment music,movies,drama etc,., where the main station consentrates in the political and intl news and issues.
In the long run it is unavoidable that the country will be swept by satelite stations,where we will be forced to let privately owned stations to exist and compate against each other in a bid to control the commercial buisiness.
*****
Easier said than done is what I see from most of the feedback comments of media consumers like me above.
What I think should ETV do however, is probably spice its programs and upgrade its operations more through the incorporation of an all year round training to upgrade the technical and professional development of all of its staff. Hire experienced media professionals and engineers, both local and foreign, to do the job on a permanent basis. Even contract/outsource some of the one hour programs to freelancers, and obtain all the needed professional advice on equipment upgrade and other logistics issues from their hired trainers and consultants.
As to all these privatize this privatize that and wonders will happen comments suggested above, i think they are all wishful copy cats than being objective solutions.
Remember that nothing is too mysterious to handle as long as one is willing to mend, upgrade, empower and include all the necessary personnel inside and outside the ETV media walls to bring about a positive change. Any solution coming forth doesn’t have to be only in such a way as to feed and satisfy the wistful ego of aloof media consumers like me, rather a well thought out solution that takes the interests of all parties at stake, the public, the employees and potential employees that could bring an added value into the discussion at hand.
Thank you.
First of all, I thank you for raising this timely issue. Secondly, I would like to briefly state the following concerns regarding ETV.
1. The journalists, most of them, don’t have professional appearance such as wearing suit.
2. The journalists mix some English words with the local languages
3. The sound quality is not only zero, but shameful
4. The picture quality is embarrassing as well
5. The videos seem to be as if they were recorded by untrained or a person with a questionable skills
6. Music choice: this is the most embarassing, unethiopian, and unexpected of such an old organization. It is as if they don’t have any taste of what ethiopian music and culture is. Instead of guiding the new musicians what is acceptable standard of ethiopian music and music videos, they just show the public the new insanity.
7. ETV needs to re-engineer itself and at least be as good as any african TV.
EPRDF, please do not repeat such mistakes again! I hate to admit this, but Derg time TV and music was 100% better than today’s junk TV.
To Aiga Admin: I’m pleading with you to use any leverage you have on EPRDF or ETV and ask them to change where ETV is heading.
I am waiting to see the day that ETV either delivers or shares the air with responsible private TV shows so that our eyes and ears see what our beloved ETHIOPIA is all about!
Thank you.
Free minds who have nothing to fear can make amazing things let alone a TV programming. We are not talking about Ethiopia launching space exploration here. To the goverment’s credit state-of-the art editing equipment and training has been delivered. The missing link is the message. The world news outlets discuss social & technology freely but EPRDF’S media day-in and day out talk about failed ethnic policy and regions, Amhara, Oromo,crap … When the message is positive like the inaguaration of hydro power plants, and making Ethiopia as a united strong country with its sea port restored, we all will tune in….
In the current format, the government should take its hand out of any radio/tv/paper media. That should be left to private sector where they can innovate and compete for better content and presentation. In most of developing countries like Ethiopia, media is important organ of the government, but government really need to encourage the participation of a responsible and accountable private sector, if we really like to see genuine democracy flourish in the country. If needed, the government could also have some public partnership format by encouraging organizations to form publicly and or privately funded media apparatus like NPR, C-SPAN are in the USA. Otherwise the current TV/Radio/News paper, it is not only ugly but shameful. They are way behind in personnel, technology and use of a simple audio-video production.
The current status of ETV is the result of the government policy.
If we have the gut to criticise ETV that criticisim should also be directed towards the EPRDF. Why? Becuase this is the EPRDF TV. It is under controll of EPRDF.
We are learning! improving but we have a long way to go