MADDA WALABU UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF OTHER SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMMANITY

DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNCATION

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM ON

TRADITIONAL MEDIA: IN CASE OF ETV POLITICAL
NEWS COVERAGE FROM MAY- JUNE 2013 E.C”

By: AgeryeMelkame

Month Year

Bale Robe Ethiopia

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 MEDDAWALABU
UNIVERSITY

Declaration
I hereby declare that this research project ‘The Perceived assessing impact citizen journalism long
press to edit and locked traditional practice of Social Media in the case of EBC TV coverage on
mainstream journalism professional practices: The case study of Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation
(EBC) and traditional media , is my origin work and has not been submitted to our univity. All the
sources of materials used for the thesis have been properly acknowledged.
Name ID NO Signature

Agerye Melkame

Advisor Omer.M Signature: Date

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank all those who gave a helping hand and made this research project possible. First, I
wish to thank the almighty God. Secondly, I am thankful to my adviser Mr Omer M for his guidance and
support. I appreciate at which he responded to all drafts that have shaped this report. Equally, I would
like to express my gratitude all media professionals at EBC for opening their doors for me and taking
their time in filling the questionnaire and answering the interview questions. I would also like to thank
my family and brothers for supporting me throughout the entire project and for helping me get through
with it all. I appreciate the friends who gave me invaluable support too, especially, our class Friend best
understanding the researcher. Finally, I would like to thank all my lecturers at Madda wallaba University
School of journalism and communication for shaping my thoughts.

ABSTRACET
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Social Media on mainstream journalism
practices focusing on Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) and traditional social media

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Mixed research methods were adopted for the study where survey questionnaire and in-depth
interview were used as specific methods for gathering the data. The explanatory sequential
mixed methods was deployed to design the research. The data obtained and subsequent data
analysis certainly emphasized the fact that social media has had, and continues to have a strong
influence on the field of journalism and practitioners’. The notion of the journalist has moved so
significantly away from aspects of its mainstream media basis because of favorability social
media platform for interactivity with the audience and potential sources. A total sample of 243
journalists was randomly selected to fill the survey questionnaire. Whereas, 11 media
professionals like media managers, editors and senior reporters were purposefully selected for
the in-depth interview to support the findings from the questionnaire. As a result, the findings
from these sources of data revealed that Journalists’ rated Social Media as very important in
sourcing, processing, disseminating and getting feedback for local news. Similarly, Social Media
have impacted on the mainstream journalistic practice to the level of creating new practices.
Journalists used social media tools in their daily workflows, the access they each had to suitably
reliable computing technologies remains an arguable issue within media organizations. Media
organizations were converging and increasingly encouraging the use of social media in the daily
work practices and routines of their employees. Both EBC and tradtional directly linked to
social media to broadcast online in addition to mainstreaming through Television and Radio.
This indicates that the impact of internet technology on mainstream media. Unfortunately, both
media institutions begun outlet their news with social media tools to attract audience worldwide.
Therefore, it is recommended that proper training, attention and leadership needed both from
the Media houses, journalists, researchers, educational institutions as well as policy maker

Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................................3
ABSTRACET..................................................................................................................................................4

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Operational Terms.......................................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER ONE..............................................................................................................................................6
INTROUCTION..............................................................................................................................................6
1.1. Background of the Organization.......................................................................................................8
1.2. Statement of the Problem................................................................................................................9
1.3. Research Questions........................................................................................................................10
1.4. Objectivity of the Study..................................................................................................................11
1.4.1. General objective of the study.................................................................................................11
1.4.2.Specific objective of the study..................................................................................................11
1.5. Scope of the Study..........................................................................................................................11
1.6. Significance of the Study.................................................................................................................11
1.7 Limitation of the Study....................................................................................................................12
1.8 Organization of the Study..............................................................................................................12
CHAPTER TWO...........................................................................................................................................13
LITRATURE REVIEW RELATED WITH RESEARCH TITTLE..............................................................................13
2.1. Definition of News..........................................................................................................................13
2.2. Source of News...............................................................................................................................13
2.3. Functions of News..........................................................................................................................14
2.4. Characteristics of News..................................................................................................................15
2.5. Blog Media......................................................................................................................................15
2.6.Journalism.......................................................................................................................................16
2.7.Citizen Journalism............................................................................................................................16
2.8.Social Media and Citizen Journalism................................................................................................17
2.9. Peace Journalism and Role of Peace Journalism.............................................................................19
CHAPTER THREE........................................................................................................................................20
RESEARCH METHODOLOGy.......................................................................................................................20
3 .1 Research Design............................................................................................................................20
3.2. Population of the Study..................................................................................................................20
3.3. Sample Size and Sampling Technique.............................................................................................21
3.4. Data Collection Instruments...........................................................................................................21
3.5. Data Collection Procedure..............................................................................................................21
3.6. Method of Data Analysis.................................................................................................................22

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CHAPTER FOUR..........................................................................................................................................23
Data Analysis and Presentation.................................................................................................................23
4.1. Impact of Citizen Journalism on the Practices of EBC on News Coverage...........................................23
4.1.1.Activity of EBC Reporter...........................................................................................................23
4.1.2. Impact of Citizen Journalists on EBC........................................................................................24
4.2. How to Manage the Impact of Citizen Journalism on the Practice of EBC News Reporting?..........26
CHAPTER FIVE............................................................................................................................................29
Result, Conclusions and Recommendation................................................................................................29
5.1. Result..............................................................................................................................................29
5.2. Conclusion......................................................................................................................................30
5.3. Recommendation...........................................................................................................................31
REFFERENCE..............................................................................................................................................32

Operational Terms

The definition of the following terms in the study is as follows:

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Journalistic Practice: practice of journalism in information gathering, reporting, writing,
recording and editing, agenda The setting, is getting interaction with audiences, editorial
meeting, and disseminating programs or news through different platforms.
Information Gathering: the process of collecting information about something. Mainstream
Media: is a term used to refer collectively to the various large mass news media that influence a
large number of people, and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought or the
conventional media like EBC.
Newsroom: is the central place where journalists, reporters, editors, and producers, along with
other staffers are working to gather, edit and produce news to be broadcasted.

Respondents: all the research target journalists who had participated in the research.

Social Media: social networks, like Face book, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn and others.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTROUCTION
Citizen Journalism is defined by Rosen (2000) as public journalism aimed at seeing people as
Journalism citizens rather than as spectators, readers or viewers, zombies, listeners, or
homogenous audiences.

Practice of for purposes of this research the practice of journalism will refer

Journalism is constantly struggling with the confidence of his audience, and to retain (or to

return) positive reputation, requires adaptation to contemporary needs and demands of medi
consumers. These changes are imposed on their own, because of this multi-media age, people are
in many ways involved in the media world with their comments, uploading photos and video
clips. They are no longer just passive observers, but have the opportunity to be active creators
and critics. Why then the media would not slightly opened the door a little more and allow entry
into a whole new realm?

To the end, I suggest you to watch this funny, interesting, short video, which is the Winner of
‘Ad of the Year 2013’ by BBH London. When we look at the mass media, they are now mostly
privately owned, and their main guide is profit. On the one hand, the media are financed by
advertising, and something what usually happens is that advertisers and other factors largely
influence the editorial policy. The development of technology has in many ways changed the
mass media. This is primarily related to the emergence and development of the Internet, who
first made that the popularity of other media declines, and then encourages the media to change
and adapt their content. So today most newspaper companies have web sites, where you are able
to read some of the free content from the print edition, or they have portal news. The
development of the Internet has allowed newspapers to expand their ways to present content so
that now they can in one place publish text, photos, videos, and immediately receive feedback
from readers and the like.

A major challenge dealing with gate watching, gate crashing, and gate keeping is assuring
accuracy. Like previously mentioned, citizen journalists can post and share whatever information
they want, true or false. This information can spread like wild fire with little hope for quelling

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false rumors. This is a difficult challenge to overcome considering the vast resources available to
the average person. Mostly, I think people have to be aware of where they are getting their
information and always double and triple check fact. Shayne Bowman and Chris Willis describe
it as the act of a citizen, or group of citizens, playing an active role in the process of collecting,
reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information.(NadinJurrat, 2013). Citizen
journalism is a concept based on the active participation of readers, viewers and listeners in the
process of gathering, selecting, analyzing and broadcasting news and information. Rosen (2012)
supports the idea when he defines citizen journalism as “When the people formerly known as the
audience employ the press tools they have in their possession to inform one another”. Citizen
journalism is to journalism what democracy, the active participation of citizens, in politics and
civic life, is to governance. It involves active participation of citizens in newsgathering and
reporting.

At the same time, many mainstream media organizations are under financial pressure, especially
the newspaper industry, and have cut jobs on investigative and foreign desks. In some countries,
including the United States, many local newspapers are closing down. People increasingly feel
that a highly concentrated and controlled mass media no longer provides the information relevant
to their lives but are following commercial and political aims. In countries with repressive
governments, citizens become weary of the official news that is served up to them, as the internet
provides an alternative source to state-controlled propaganda. This is where citizen journalists
can fill avoiding.

Alternative journalism plays the multiple roles of exposing corruption, encouraging

accountability, documenting abuses of power, and giving alternative views on local and
international current affairs. Because citizen journalism is known to inform and educate and
report from within crisis so as to enrich traditional journalism for the general public to better

Journalism, though, would be and added value to it because standing alone it is not credible.
(Session sma-nda 2016).

Traditional media are the media which is used to deliver event which are relevant for the society.
Traditional media such as; print and broadcast media. Broadcast media like television and radio.
Broadcasting is a medium that disseminates via telecommunications. Mass medium is medium-

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(usually plural) transmissions that are disseminated widely to the public. Broad cast, air,
transmit, beam, send-broad cast over

Media are mostly in the hands of the powerful. Peace journalism training is an established
academic field that offers a remedy to the propaganda-driven mainstream media. It has infused
journalism practices with the lessons of peace and conflict studies and provides journalism the
tools to combat; vs. Peace journalism has always been controversial, since some journalists

regard it as a breach with journalistic norms of impartiality. (cf. L oyn 2013). Media in the
conflict cycle is concentrate on the positive role. The media can make a constructive contribution
to conflict prevention, how they can detect violence at an early stage and monitor peace
agreements, and how they can increase social cohesion, which would not exclude any minority
group, would at the same time be the best prevention of future conflict.

But a stylized presentation of conflict (escalation, hot phase, de- escalation, peace) does not
really correspond to reality in most cases. Reality is much more and makes it difficult to make a
clear cut distinction between different phases of a conflict: conflict prevention, escalation, large
scale violence, and reconciliation, large scale violence, and reconciliation can all take place at
the same time, often with different emphasis in different regions of a conflict affected country.
(https://www.conflictsolving.com).

1.1. Background of the Organization

The establishment of 24-hour news channels has expanded coverage, Insert surname 11 making
it possible to reach many people across the world. Media houses have been found to be biased or
unfair with how they cover political news from different parts of the world.
In Ethiopia the main stream media is EBC it was established by the order of Emperor Haile
Selassie and initially operated by a British firm, Thomson in 1964. It also owned by Ethiopian
government 100%. Its’programing includes news, sport, music and other entertainment. A
majority of the programming is broadcast in Amharic, the official federal language of the
government of Ethiopia. In addition some news segments are broadcast in other language such as
Afan Oromo, Somali, Tigrigna, Hariri, as well as English. The current structure and goals of
were established aroud1988 ecwith proclamation 114/87.

Main channel of EBC news is the one which is having 24 hours coverage, with content on the
culture, politics, documentaries’, and economy.

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In the work of news EBC were slower than citizen journalism when compute with citizen
journalism. For example in case of conflict reporting citizen journalism posted every event which
is happening everywhere. The role of media in conflict cycle: conflicts start in the minds of
men. It is therefore important to know how they get into the minds of men. By and large, we are
what we eat and we think what we read or hear on traditional media.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

According to Bowman and Willis, “the intent of a citizen’s participation is to provide
independent, reliable, wide ranging and relevant information that a democracy requires”.
However, due to the fact that in general citizen journalists are not professionally trained or
simply do not have these intentions not all contributions from citizen journalists adhere to
ethical standards that can be expected of professional journalists. Moreover, citizen
journalists, especially those who write, usually give a very personal and therefore often
biased view of an event. Some clearly identify their intentions political or other such as
Indy media or The Huffingt on Post; many mainstream news organizations indicate UGC,
and whether this content can be verified by other sources. But others place personal
accounts of citizens alongside reports from their staff, making it more difficult to
distinguish amateur and therefore unchecked content from professional content, which has
been checked for accuracy, objectivity, truthfulness and fairness.

Many citizen contributors do not see themselves as journalists but rather as activists, and
therefore do not believe they should adhere to media ethics. However, if their work is published
in the media, it can have damaging effects’, especially on sites where the editorial gate keeping is
left completely to the audience. (Nadine Jurrat 2011)For citizen journalism to have a greater
impact on traditional journalism and play an important role in the society, it needs to be
organised, bound by rules and codes of ethics, and those who engage in it need to understand the
guidelines that must be followed to publish news.

In fact non-professional writers have shared information and highlighted perceived injustices
through pamphlets and brochures. In contrast to traditional journalism, which brought news as a
completed product to its audience in a vertical way, citizen journalism is a more horizontal and
conversational sharing of news, which is always unfinished. (S.Allan and E.Thorson (eds),
2009.). The same is true any citizen journalist gather and distribute an event early when it

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happen, traditional media like, print media, broadcast media are not because of their editorial
policy. According to that the researcher conduct the study to assess the impact of citizen
journalism on the practice of traditional media journalist in case of EBCTV political news
coverage from April- Jane2013E.C.

Journalism has been affected significantly due to citizen journalism.

This is because citizen journalism allows people to post as much content as they want,
whenever they want. In order to stay competitive, traditional news sources are forcing their
journalist to compete. Due to the availability of technology, citizens often can report
breaking news more quickly than traditional media reporters. ... Critics of the phenomenon,
including professional journalists and news organizations, claim that citizen journalism is
unregulated, amateur, and haphazard in quality and coverage.

Issues  surrounding human rights violations, violence against women and everyday witness
accounts. Most notably, images shared on Twitter during the 2008 Mumbai attacks is an
example of citizen journalism in India.Dec 8, 20020

1.3. Research Questions

The research questions of this study are;

1.What are the mechanisms research questions of this study are

• What are the impact that citizen journalist have on the practice of traditional media
journalist?

2.What are the mechanisms to manage the impact of citizen journalism on EBC?

3.What are the challenge of journalist face to face if any as the result prolife relations in
social media.

4.What the impact of social mehdia have on the process in which journalist perform their
job?

1.4. Objectivity of the Study

The study has general and specific objectives.

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1.4.1. General objective of the study
To assess the impact of citizen journalist on the practice of traditional media journalist in case of
EBC TV political news coverage from may- Jan 2013E.c

1.4.2.Specific objective of the study

• To know the impact of citizen journalist on EBC TV.

• To describe the mechanisms to manage the impact of citizen journalism on EBC.

• How do asses the local journalist in traditional media and EBC use social media four
source

1.5. Scope of the Study

There are many broad casting media in Ethiopia which is collected and deliver different news
stories just like, sport ,social media, break news, political news. But, I will focus only on EBC
TV political news coverage because from my pre observation Ethiopian news source like broad
cast and blog media as the main stream EBC TV political news latest than blog media. So, this
research will confine dto only the impact of citizen journalist on traditional media journalist in
case of EBC TV political news coverage in the month April- Jane 2013E.C.

This research will confined to only the impact of citizen journalist on traditional media journalist
in case of EBC TV political news coverage in the month April- Jane 2013E.C.

1.6. Significance of the Study

• The question that are citizen journalism? Certainly traditional media owner need to know
about how they affect by citizen journalists. All kinds of media out lets full fill what the
audience want to inform. Unknowingly use any online media which citizen journalist
done on affect their psychology through seeking unedited event. The study is important
for the researcher to know the impact of citizen journalism on EBC TV news coverage.

• The important of this study was making the research to understand the citizen journalism.

• Problem realted the quality service the study helps traditional media owner.

• The long term historical view of the journalist traditional practice such the norm
journalisim.

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1.7 Limitation of the Study
This study investigated how journalists’ use social media to source, process, share and get feedback
on the news content and showed a synergy between the mainstream journalism practice and social
media.
This study sought to fill the existing knowledge gap on how the utilization of Social Media by
mainstream media and perception of journalists towards new practices. The impact of this study also
will be felt positively in various fields, such as all journalism sectors, governments, private
individuals, NGOs, academics and others. Academically, this research work will therefore advance
knowledge. The academic community will use this work as a reference point and in the
implementation of similar studies.

1.8 Organization of the Study

This study consists/ organized by 5chapers.The first chapter consist the introduction with
background of the study along with its statement of the problem, research question, and
objectives of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study and limitation of the study.
The second chapter forward the literature review which is related with the title. The third chapter
explain the methodology of the study and the fourth chapter budget schedule is organized and
chapter five conclusion and recommendation

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITRATURE REVIEW RELATED WITH RESEARCH TITTLE

2.1. Definition of News
News is the account of an event, not the event itself. News is an accurate, unbiased account of a
current, timely event, which is reported in the media outlets and is significant to a large number
of people in a locality. Furthermore, in contemporary thinking, today’s news is about real life,
real people, real event, real places or real issues in real world reported in real time using any
available means of communication. Mitchel chainley,(2000).

2.2. Source of News

Every story begins as a stream does from a source. You cannot find a great story today that does
not have a story. The major reason most person who are unfamiliar with the news gathering
process often wonder how reporters gather and assemble they sustain the daily publication of
news information how do they get access to information and information sources, and how do
they sustain the daily publication of news in their media organizations.

Sources of news are listless, some sources are:

 Academic journals: research by academics published in journals is a frequent source of

news stories. Here the journalist job is to spot a potential story among qualifications and
to render the story intelligibility to the reader.
 Entertainment industry: It is an increasingly important source for today’s media and
celebrities gain immensely because of popularity through media coverage. Films, serial
and various other programmers gain only if media has been highlighting them.
 Government news network: The government news network produces vast number of
news release on behalf of the government departments and agencies on a regional and
national basis.
 News agencies: they are the foot soldiers of journalism at a national and international
level, allowing media organizations to cover stories in areas where they have few or no
staff.

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 Agencies keep a check on offices and local bodies and look out for news stories here.
Newspaper, radio, television, big news media house, depends largely on the news
agencies for general news coverage. Some famous news agencies are AP (Associated
press of America print), and ENA (Ethiopia news agencies) etc.
 People potential stories can be suggested by people you meet while at work, rest and
play. This can range from somebody mentioning that they have just seen a police car
parked in their street to other substantial information provided by the common people.

2.3. Functions of News

News contains much that is new. News is anything out of the ordinary. News is anything
published in a newspaper which interests a large number of people. The main functions of news
are:

 News informs people about anything unusual that take place in the society. Event that
affect people’s lives are news, the more people affected the bigger the news.
 People learn something new every day through news they get from newspaper or
television and any other blogging media. They read about things they have heard about
and also would like to read about.
 News affects people and is capable of stirring widespread awareness. News touches the
deepest emotion of the people and somehow to everyone. Thus news affects the
government as well as the common people.
 Conflicts between man to man and also between man and environment are carried out as
news. These affect us in one way or other.
 News focus on the economic, political and cultural aspects of a nation and people
throughout the world learn about other nations through news. News forms an image of
a nation to the outside world.

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2.4. Characteristics of News

Truth: -Truth news stories must represent factual events and personalities. The reporter should
also ensure that the facts of the news are truthful to the best of his/her knowledge before
publishing or broadcasting such story.

Objective: - The news covers to the consumer intimated without any personal bias or any
outside influence that world make it appear anything but what is. By objectivity, we mean
without any bias. A journalist while reporting news is working under heavy pressure.

Accuracy: -The readers should never be given an opportunity to say that they never believed
what appeared in the paper. All facts given in the news item should be accepted by readers
without questions. Accuracy is a pillar on which every story rests.

Balance: - The reporter has to writer all the specific facts correctly, fairly and accurately as well
as objective. News should be balanced in the matter of emphasis and complements. Reporter as
to select and arrange facts in a manner so as to give a balanced view of the whole situation.

Concise and clear: - News must be unite, concise, clear and simple. A story that is diffused,
Current: - Things are always changing and the news consumers want the most recent
information on subject interest to them. The reader is interested in current and new things

2.5. Blog Media

A blog (shortened from the phrase “weblog”) is known as many things a digital magazine, diary,
newscast, collector’s meeting place, a showcase for your art, information sharing, teaching hub,
place to learn and learn is well, almost anything you want it to be. A typical blog combines text,
images, videos and links to relevant pages and media on the Web. Blog readers can leave
comments and communicate with the author. In fact, dialogue and interaction are a popular part
of a blog’s success. https://www. Blog media.com

2.6.Journalism

Journalism is a form of writing that tells people about things that really happened, but that they
might not have known about already. According to, Pearce, K.J. (20012) Journalism, is the

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collection, verification, presentation, and editing of news for presentation through the media, in
this sense, refers to the study of the product and production of news. The study of journalism
involves looking at how news is produced, and how it is disseminated to the public through mass
media outlets such as newspapers, news channel, radio station, television station, and more
recently, e-readers and smart phones. The information provided pertains to current events, trends,
issues, and people.

2.7.Citizen Journalism

Basede on Citizen Journalism refers to the reporting of news events by members of the public
using the Internet to spread the information. Citizen journalism can be a simple reporting of facts
and news that is largely ignored by large media companies. It is easily spread through peral
websites, blogs, micro blogs, and social media and so on. Some types of citizen journalism also
act as a check on the reporting of larger news outlets by providing alternative analysiss

Citizen journalism is all forms of public reporting carried out online. This includes everything
from blogs covering a local Little League tournament to the online posts of citizens in countries
where the national media is government control

Some citizen journalists have gained so much popularity for their reporting andcommentary that
they can reach a much wider audience than traditional news outlets.

According to Brian Montopoli2005"Citizen Journalism" is one of those phrases that sound pretty
straightforward, but when you get right down to it, most people aren't entirely sure exactly what
it means. Basically, a citizen journalist is someone from outside the news business who engages
in the kind of journalism that is traditionally the purview of the professionals. A citizen journalist
might send pictures of a significant event into a news outlet. They might share stories about
newsworthy experiences they have had.
Or they might analyze report and even disseminate the news themselves. There are reasons for
news organizations to be skittish about relying on citizen journalism. The benefits are clear:
There are immeasurable positives in having someone who happens to be on the scene of a
developing story take pictures or call in a report. But there is also a chance that those reports
would not be reliable. People had seen unimaginable things, but a small percentage, many still
covered in ash, told me tales that were worse than what actually happened

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But wait, you might say cannot people exaggerate when they are talking to a reporter looking for
a quote? And the short answer is that they can, and do. But reporters go to great lengths to
authenticate information whenever possible, as the standards and practices of their news
organization requires. Citizen journalists don't play by the same rules. Most citizen journalists
want to disseminate honest information; some may well have less noble motives. And a citizen
journalist with strong feelings about the environment or gay marriage, say, could consciously
color their coverage of the issue while feigning objectivity. Ganized and ambiguous in meaning
does not have the characteristic quality of news.

2.8.Social Media and Citizen Journalism

When users post news and videos to social media sites, they are not sharing their information and
thoughts with a void, without being heard and engaged with. Instead, other users interact (both
positively and negatively) to the information being shared, which provides citizen journalists
with immediate gratification and feedback for their efforts. According to Johnson, et. al 13
(2007)Meanwhile, people consuming news through social media by watching videos are likewise
given gratification in the form of interaction and participation when they are responding to a
story, providing advice or even just reading comments. Both the immediacy of information and
the interaction provided encourage citizen journalists and consumers of citizen journalism alike.

Despite the potential pitfalls, there are plenty of reasons to welcome the rise of citizen journalism
as long as news consumers understand what they are dealing with. Current TV, for example, a
new cable channel, solicits video submissions from viewers about news in their daily lives that
one would rarely see from traditional news outlets.Ohmy News, a collaborative online
newspaper with the motto "Every Citizen is a Reporter," has become an influential news resource
in Korea and elsewhere. Dan Gillmor's Biosphere, focused on the Bay Area, is providing a
model of citizen journalism on the internet. And blogs, chat rooms and message boards of all
stripes provide a range of opinion and reporting far beyond what traditional news outlets can
offer. As those traditional outlets take their baby steps towards integrating citizen journalism, it
is interesting to see how much ground they are willing to seed to the non-professionals and how
much the non-professionals want to have to do with the traditional news outlets in the first place.
The idea behind citizen journalism is that individuals who have not been trained as journalists
can use the tools of modern technology and the Internet to cover or verify news stories either

19
individually or in the form of groups (Glaser, 2006). Citizen Journalism has proved to be an
important tool for communicating information in light of the media blackout and the prohibition
of some traditional media and journalists to cover the details of revolutions.

Furthermore; Citizen Journalism is increasingly becoming a source of major news for traditional
media. In fact, Citizen Journalism was able to change the face of journalism. For example, many
television channels such as CNN, Fox News and the Canadian CTV Canada have adopted citizen
journalism's news. Soon after, YouTube hopped on board a while ago. It should be noted that the
Washington Times newspaper devotes an entire section for the materials they receive from
citizen journalists. According to John Solomon, executive editor of The Times magazine, many
newspapers and magazines use citizens within different countries to provide them with news
stories about the various and interesting issues to readers for not being able to afford the costs of
media coverage from all over the world ( Hogg, 20013 ).

Despite the many benefits of citizen journalism, critics point to the many negative aspects of this
rising trend as it is seen by some journalists as a source that lacks credibility. Several accusations
were made against citizen journalism by Jack Kabeca, former reporter for the Globe and Mail,
that it must be looking for new stories and not redrafting and editing of news published by
traditional media (Hogg, 2012).

• The video images that were broadcast across television screens about the tsunami in
Japan would never have been seen by the world if citizens at the scene had not filmed it.
(Abu AlFadel, 2013).

• Young people believe that when information intersects on the pages of dozens or even
hundreds of citizens participating in the site, it must then be gaining credibility that the
traditional media may lack.

• Human rights activists who are actually electronic activists became the faces we see or
hear commenting on screens, and therefore bloggers and Twitter users are no longer
virtual creatures who could not set the agendas.

2.9. Peace Journalism and Role of Peace Journalism:-

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Peace Journalism (PJ) uses conflict analysis and transformation to update the concept of balance,
fairness and accuracy in reporting. The PJ approach provides a new road map tracing the
connections between journalists, their sources, the stories they cover and the consequences of
their reporting the ethics of journalistic intervention. It opens up a literacy of non-violence and
creativity as applied to the practical job of everyday reporting.

“Peace Journalism makes audible and visible subjugated aspects of reality,” Professor Johan
Galtung.

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 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGy
This chapter would present the methodology of research use procedure implant to realize the
research objectives. According to planners Selvam,(2004.p,2),research methodology is a system
of methods, procedures and techniques used to find the result of research problem.

3 .1 Research Design
The current study is subscribed under mixed method research with specific design to explanatory
sequential mixed method research design. The explanatory sequential mixed methods approach
is a design in mixed methods that appeals to a strong quantitative research and then qualitative
approaches. It involves a two-phase project in which the researcher collects quantitative data in
the first phase, analyzes the results, and then uses the results to plan (or build on to) the second,
qualitative phase (Creswell, 2014). The quantitative results typically inform the types of
participants to be purposefully selected for the qualitative phase and the types of questions that
would be asked of the participants. The overall intent of this design is to have the qualitative data
help explain in more detail the initial quantitative results. A typical procedure might involve
collecting survey data in the first phase, analyzing the data, and then following up with
qualitative interviews to help explain the survey responses (Creswell, 2014).

The quantitative research refers to approaches to empirical inquiry that collect, analyze, and
display data in numerical however rather than narrative form (Given, 2008). It involves
survey, content analysis, experimental studies and non-experimental studies. The main data
for the present study, was gathered using the survey questionnaire method. Survey is a
research design in the qualitative research data collection analysis numerically interpretation.

3.2. Population of the Study

The population and data source or units of analysis of this study will be media message in
forms of news stories, audience who attend EBC TV political news stories, citizen journalists
and also persons who use citizen journalist news.

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3.3. Sample Size and Sampling Technique
The study will use convenience sampling technique to select questioner respondents and
purposive sampling technique for interview respondents from EBC TV newsroom worker or
journalist and citizen journalist. The researcher used Convenience sampling because it is
quick, inexpensive, and convenient.

The researcher will distribute 40 questioners for conveniently selects respondent from online
media user and EBC TV viewer.

3.4. Data Collection Instruments

The study would use data collection instruments such as phone in interview, questioners such as
open and closed- ended and also observation to make the study more accurate and scientific..
The study used telephone interview to gather the data from purposively select participant such as
EBC News producer and citizen journalism activists. The data collected via it is revealing the
valid data for the research objective to prepare interview for EBC TV news room worker and
citizen journalism activists. It is important for me to justify the event.

Other tools that will have been used to gather information for study is questioners( open and
close-ended). Questioners will conduct for audience who are familiar with EBC TV news and
online media user .The reason to choose both open and close-ended questionnaires; it enables to
gain both qualitative and quantitative data. The other one is observation it is also important to get
first hand information for the study as well the researcher proof the data and make the study
accurate.

3.5. Data Collection Procedure

Data collected from news producer in EBC TV from april - Jane2013 and citizen journalist.

activist through interview. Data collected from EBC TV news follower as well as from online
media user through questioners.

The data collect procedure to observe news which is produced in EBC in april- June 2013E.C
and online media which is citizen journalist use for news purpose. According to this to collect
the data through interview first the researcher prepared interview for both media worker
appropriately after that the facilitate sutation to communicate through tel phone with them to

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acquire accurate information lastly the researcher call to him and gather what she want. The
procedure used for questioners prepare the questioners which have coherent with the research
question and objectivity as well as answer it then distribute the questioner for the respondent
which is selected convenience sampling technique. Then communicate within them when they
face same challenges finally the researcher collected the questioners.

In the observation time the researcher observe the data from Google and from same online
media.

3.6. Method of Data Analysis

After collect the data, the study analysis using mixed approach; use percentage as statistical tools
to describe quantitative data. According to Gustav Fechner (20013), quantitative research is the
systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena via statistical, mathematical or
computational techniques and also it develops and employs mathematical models, theories and
hypes pertaining to phenomena.

Whereas the qualitative data explain through in text from that the data gather through open ended
questioners, interview and observation.

The imitation of the study is to understand both the rise of social medias as the contributing
factor of journalist delving into what kind of the significant the impact of citizen journalism.

What it means four the two sides of the communication structure with the news broadcasted
audience?

There are several different chanals that can be chosen inorder to review the process achallang
task sufficient interview participation ledto mixed methodology.

Generaly;data analysis is the gathering procsss to look four the patern and relation with people
meidia comnication.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

Data Analysis and Presentation

This study is conducted with the aim of assessing the impact of citizen journalism on the practice
of traditional media journalist in case of EBC TV news coverage. In this study the researcher
analyses and presents the data gathered through questionnaire, interview and observation.

40questionnaires were distributed and 32 were returned. The questionnaire has two parts; the
first part deal with respondents profile, while the second part focused on the quality of news
reporting on EBC TV as well as on online media by citizen journalists in news coverage and
relevancy of them lastly impact of citizen journalism on traditional media specially on EBCTV
political news coverage. The result from the questionnaire presented in percentage by using
quantitative method cloth ended questioners and discussed in detail open ended questioners by
using qualitative method. The researcher conducted interview with the EBC TV news editor and
take one citizen journalism practitioner lastly information from observation interpreted.

Key Finding

4.1. Impact of Citizen Journalism on the Practices of EBC on

News Coverage
4.1.1.Activity of EBC Reporter
As the interviewee of EBC TV stated that all EBC news reporter perform their responsibility
attentively on their work position. To perform their news production every day they
communicate with every employer who do in news room on what they report, how,for whom and
decide on each and every question. When they produce around political issue they consider or
balance the view of state and society. To produce news after gather event where it happen in
short. Their source of news is primary and tangible evidence some times they take an event from
Blog media which are legal online media journalist news. After the reporter gathered event edit
any unnessery and intangible evidence to make the news more accurate, balance as well as to
keep the accountability of an organization. After reporter edit what he/she gather, gate keepers
were cross check those news and avoid the word which is contrary with government. Because

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EBC is under control the of government so, their news did not contradict with state. According
to that all news mostly political news produced or check in different news room. In all above
case EBC news reporting become late than citizen journalists.

4.1.2. Impact of Citizen Journalists on EBC

• What are the impact that citizen journalism have on EBC?
As a respondent view Citizen journalists’ impact on EBC news. Citizen journalism practitioner
defame the image of EBC through reporting its negativity. EBC loss it audience due to the
emergence of citizen journalism because every one can gather, make and upload news and
information to the public with out censorship and process of editing as well as selecting and it is
fastest than traditional media (EBC). When one accident or something is happen every one can
take photos, write and upload online to the audience but EBC reported through process for
production, in case EBC become late. Because of it latestness and timeliness people choose
online media news which citizen journalists participate on. And also we know most of the time
EBC report on developmental journalism news about the countries development activities and
the governed works or to broadcast developmental journalism works to build road for the
society, different construction.

However, Citizen Journalists know report every thing the conflict situation or any disturbance
activities or instabilities so that a person that have the events around their circumstance. If there
is any new thing happen especially around in stable situations of the country report their news
online. So that citizen journalists have more impact on EBC news. EBC loses the editorial
policies of the station means accuracy become minimize because EBC is the greatest
government media station with our countries. P lus to lies their audience, the audience by them
self to know this situation means (the lies) the station losses of credibility. EBC minimize run
(competence) with other media most of the people shift to different private station, online media
which is citizen journalists participate on and a broad station. A broad (foreign station) can be
transmit in Amharic like VOA to know the truths the credit-abilities in this kinds of activities to
lose their competent for the better media stations.

As the interviewee of EBC TV stated that citizen journalists has great impact on EBC TV.
Citizen journalists posted a news immediately after the event happen because no censorship, no

26
editor or steps to edit, absence of accountability and responsibility, they have freedom to report
every thing they have not legality and they did not give any care for the government power
simply focused on public interest and inform the society and gain acceptability. Because of this,
citizen journalism practitioner directly post what they want and observe. The traffic read the
news, before the traditional media present and the audience already taker the side. This makes
traditional media’s news incredible, loss run in society. The impact of citizen journalism is not
only on accuracy and run of the event also on business or economical problem also one of. This
means according to the latestness of EBC news presenting through TV channel that online media
influce through presenting before EBC present or deliver to the audience. Generally, as the first
and government media station EBC leave (forget) this lacks of credibility.

What Ato Abel Mulugeta the EBC TV news reporter interviewee said “the impact of citizen
journalism is semslike what TV and Radio impact on newspaper and magazine.’’

For example:-From Nov-Jan 2010 e.c. in case of political issue as well as conflict reporting
between nation EBC reporters face many challenges when they report their news. The reporter
try to balance and keep peace but citizen journalists report early all things what happened. In
case the audience select online media news and mostly satisfied by the online media news
because of its fastestness in terms of reporting event early as well as audience want to know all
thing what happen every where.

Interview 2 from citizen journalism practitioner

citizen journalism practitioner report news early while it happen through seeking any event
everywhere. They presenting any event presenting at place or as a choice they create a group
which are homogenous group or who have common goal or aim. All the member of a group tries
to seek event from where they like and post absolutely what they gather without editing because
they did not have editorial policy or legality according to those factors they report without
considering any news reporting ethics. News story they report like political party speech, any
conflict, business and any other. During reporting those news they did not focused on news
element,and also they present through keeping most of the society feeling. Because, their target
is inform the public what happen on their surroundings. However, they faced some challenges
during reporting events. Like,-Network connection.

- Confidence to gather event while happen.

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4.2. How to Manage the Impact of Citizen Journalism on the Practice of
EBC News Reporting?
As the respondent response on the above question the organizations try to solve this problem by
changing their reporting styles not only reporting the government works or like developmental
journalism. Reporting the organization should include their reports uncomfortable situation
because to lie their community. As a reporter the organization (the station) to give a freedom of
expression for their reporting, to gain the reporters free press and free expression to report each
and every activity to remove this impact, plus the EBC journalists report truthful and credible
information to the society and post their reports on their web to dismiss their defame or backlash.
So, in short an organization does such things to solve the impact of citizen journalism in their
self:-

1. Full fill what the audience want from them, to know the audience; the station
conduct the research, research is strong mechanism just like SWOT analysis help to know the
weakness and strength of the station, Report every political news two side reporting (government
and keep audience) interest in their report, prepare participatory real programs to know every
interest of the audience and gather feed back from audience about the status of the news, don’t
exaggerate their report, if their report is exaggerated the news lose it accuracy or truth as well as
balance, and also creating blog and website for news purpose and reshape their technique of
news reporting. Because audiences were shift (change) their media choices when the media are
not full fill audience need in terms of news unless they did not shift.

As the interview respondent that the office performs its activities well. There is a gap when they
report news for the audience. Till now they measure what they are expected to produce and only
evaluate how much information can they distribute to the audience. From the above
explanations, about EBC the researcher can deduce that there is almost they don’t want to see
what is looks like their relation with audience satisfaction in case of news,and how can they
sustaining the continues relation with it audience. The main target of the media is it’s audience
so when they can caching of their audience attention by the means of preparing online,societal
problem solve report as well as to increase it’s fastestness. So EBC manager or all follower

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parties to maintain their relationship with the audience because with out audience unless, they
can’t compete or manage impact of citizen journalism.

• Additionally Information Impact of Citizen Journalism on Peace Keeping

in the Country
As the researcher observation the role of citizen journalism in case of peace keeping that all
online media news is simply deliver news or event what is happen for example in Dec, 2010
E.C conflict between walayita and Tigre people in shashemena town and the online media
post all of the phenomena between them and what the government take solution for the
conflict without balancing.

Post different political party view on the conflict which opposed with the Ethiopian
government. According to that the conflict takes long period. However, EBC try to report
news to the audience through balancing those groups action to create peace.

According to Goffman (1974) the concept of Media framing theory in media studies the
media focuses attention on certain events and then locates those events within a particular
field of meaning. Media framing argues that how a news story is presented in the media
(the frame) can some time be as important as the news story itself because it influence
how the audience perceive the story. However citizen journalists do not consider to report
conflict events.

So, citizen journalists are not play role in peace keeping process when compare with EBC.
The main source of the researcher judge her observation is peace journalism course.

• There are efforts to endorse the use of media to facilitate conflict resolution, and ‘peace
media.’ Peace media can be defined as the use of "radio, television, and printed
journalism, to promote peace, to disseminate truthful information or alternate viewpoints
that could turn public sentiment for peaceful resolution of conflict, or to counter ‘hate
radio’". Peace media personnel are thought to be objective and impartial when describing
the parties involved in the conflict, but not taking sides and submissively watchful when
it come up to portraying peaceful means as the only acceptable way of resolving
conflicts. Wolfe (2004) maintains that media in many ways can add to restructuring the
course of events in a peaceful way. For instance, media can stress the rewards of peace

29
building, encourage individuals and groups involved in peace ideas, and balance the view
of the players. Normally, however, media put across the opposing messages to the public.

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 CHAPTER FIVE

Result, Conclusions and Recommendation

5.1. Result
The researcher gains the following results for the specific objective of the study from the
questioner response, interview and the researcher observation.

Specific objective of the research

1. To know the impact of citizen journalist on EBC.

2. To describe the mechanisms to manage the impact of citizen journalism on EBC.

• Citizen journalism impacted EBC- on the run of EBC in the society, organizational image
also extinction (abolition) and in economical as the interviewee response.

• The technique to solve the impact of citizen journalism on EBC the respondent stated that
prepare real program to gather feed back about their way of news reporting, conduct
research attentively, report news in two way (as two side), create legal website for news
purpose, focused on audience interest and their news reporting,

• In terms of citizen journalism news accuracy they are more accurate than EBC news
reporting. Mostly online media (blogger) post event accurately and nearer to the fact.
However, EBC is not report news accurately compare with EBC. They report through
hidden the fact as the questioner responses.

• In case of conflict solving citizen journalism play less role as the researcher observation.

5.2. Conclusion
This study conducted on the impact of citizen journalism on the practices of EBC TV political
news coverage from Nov – Jan, 2010E.C. This study tried to answer research question and
achieve major as well as specific objective. This study focused only EBC political news
coverage because EBC is the main stream media in Ethiopia. To achieve the objectivity the
researcher use triangular research design and use an instrument to gather data for the study
questioners, interview and observation. For questioner respondents the researcher used convince
sampling technique and purposely sampling technique for interview respondents. After gathering
31
the data the researcher analyzed through mixed approach. According to the specific objective of
the study the researcher concluded that;-

1. To know the impact of citizen journalist on EBC.

2. To describe the mechanisms to manage the impact of citizen journalism on EBC.

According to the impact of citizen journalism on the practice of EBC TV political news, the
researcher concluded that blog media impacted on EBC political news coverage. EBC is under
the control of government or state so reporter can not report any event which is contradict with
government but, the society want to know every thing which is happen in this case EBC news
become overshadow in the society, citizen journalists report every event without editing, because
they did not have legality and responsibility as well as accountability their aim is inform
audience what happen through keeping audience interest rather than government in this case
audience choose online media which citizen journalists participate on.

The mechanisms that are important (use) to solve the impact of citizen journalism on EBC
political news prepare real program which is participator to the audience to give feed back about
the status of EBC way of news reporting,conduct research actively about their news program,
create website for news purpose, change their previous way of news reporting in two side are
the major mechanism what the respondents stated.

As the interest of media for the user the researcher concluded that the society is more interest to
use online media because of what online media report any event which is interest for user but,
EBC TV news is more focused on the editorial policy in that case EBC lose its audience.

Based on the accuracy of both online and EBC TV news the researcher concluded that online
media is more accurate or report as nearer to the factual evidence. On the online media report
every event which is happen is report without editing. However, EBC TV news report after many
steps. In this case the factual events become hidden.

According to the relevance of those online and EBC news, the researcher conclude that online
media is more relevant than EBC news what anyone can practices without license and also at
any time can get news from but EBC TV news is transmittable.

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As the role of citizen journalism in case of conflict solving according to presenting everything
what happen between any political party and every social groups whether positive and negative
side of the groups create confusion in the society and that confusion is enlarge to conflict.

5.3. Recommendation
According to Leykun (1977), it is obvious that the existences of any media rely highly on the
existence of a good number of audiences. Unless the audiences are satisfied with what the media
transmit they may not become regular listeners or viewer, they can stop watching or listening.
From experience, in most cases people get motivated to give feed backs when the issues are
relevant to their life, follow their problem and when they are contented / discontented with a
program. So, it would be crucial to conduct research on audience satisfaction for any media so as
to know the status of its audience. Since producing and transmitting programs without audience
would simply mean waste of time, energy and resources.

So,The researcher came up with the following recommendations after analyzing the finding of
the study from the response of the respondent and the EBC news reporter. The recommendation
read as follows: -

• EBC to become effective and run regarding to news reporting keep the interest of the
audience what they want to inform, know about the phenomena. In order to draw good
image about EBC news accuracy create awareness about rule of news reporting in the
society.

• Additionally, EBC to make fast their news report create website for their news reporting
purpose as well as prepare real program which is participator to gain feed back about the
status of their news.

• EBC to become run in terms of news reporting change their way of reporting through
using technique which can express the event inventively or don’t exaggerate the exact
event.

REFFERENCE
- Fundamental of News Reporting.Ikeja: John West Publications Ltd.)

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 - In A. Tashakkori& C. Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral
research (pp. 209–240). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

- Mitchel chainley,(2000).News Reporting and Writing (8thed.).

-Abu. Atfadel,(2011) citizen journalism ,Japan.

Brian Montopoli (2005) citizen journalism Hillsdale, N.J; Hove:Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Cassidy.(2007) mass media A Social Action Perspective. Newbury Park: Sage.

Cf. L oyn(2007) peace journalism.complexities and conflicts. London: Sage.

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Cress well, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Designing and Conducting mixed method
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Feiches. D,( 2013), media and conflict. New York.

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Gustav Fechner (2005: p.1274) research methodology.

Https://dissertation.laerd.com/purposive-sampling.php#types.

Https:// en. M. main stream media.org.

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Https://www.Robert niles.com

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