Journalism and Mass Communication

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://etd.hu.edu.et/handle/123456789/152

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    FRAMING THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NEWS BY BBC AND RT WORLD.
    (HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, 2023-11) WORKNESH BEGNA
    Nowadays, news organizations are settled in the heart of conflict zones and have been crucial players in informing the public and shaping its understanding of specific issues. The military conflict between Russia and Ukraine is happening in the military as well as in the information sphere. Leaning on the media outlet, its audiences see a very different picture of the war. This study examined how the BBC and RT portrayed the war between Russia and Ukraine, covering the first month of the war. The general objective of the study is to explore how the BBC and RT media outlets are framing the war between Russia and Ukraine in their daily news reports posted on their official websites. The research employed a comparative analysis of the portrayal of the warring countries in Western and Russian media. The research employed a qualitative research approach and an exploratory research design. Some 52 website news stories from both, 26 from each medium, were selected using the purposive sampling method. Framing theory and agenda setting theory were used to guide and interpret the findings. Both news media have different perspectives and framings of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war. From the beginning, BBC News calls it a ‘war’ or an ‘invasion’, while RT News calls it a ‘special military operation’. The BBC condemned the Russian aggression, while RT claimed that Russia was defending its national interests and security. The result of the analysis revealed that there were noticeable differences in the choice of frames for reporting refugees, civilians, and military fatalities between both media under study. BBC news stories were mostly about Ukraine, whereas RT News stories mostly narrate the Russian government announcements and offer their justifications. Analysis revealed that the most dominant frames used in the BBC were the military conflict frames, human interest frames, and geopolitical conflict frames, whereas RT used predominantly justification frames, attribution of responsibility frames, and military aid frames. BBC News and RT News portrayed Ukraine's war differently, with BBC News describing it as an illegal invasion by Russia, while RT News defended Russia's security interests. The researcher recommends that BBC and RT World enhance their portrayal of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict by offering diverse, credible information, avoiding misinformation, and upholding professional standards and ethical principles.
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    ASSESSMENT OF THE CONFLICT REPORTING BY SRTA AND VOA: THE CASE OF KORE AND GUJI ETHNIC GROUPS CONFLICT IN ETHIOPIA.
    (HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, 2023-11) TEMESGEN MENESHA
    Conflict is a multifaceted issue that has plagued several regions of Ethiopia in recent years. Conflict has been a source of tension and instability, leading to displacement, loss of life, and economic disruption. The media can play a crucial role in shaping public opinion regarding conflicts. This study examines conflict reporting by the South Radio and Television Agency and Voice of America Rdio on recently developing conflicts between Kore and Guji ethnic groups. Due to the significant escalation of conflict between groups during the period between the end of 2021 and 2022, the researcher chose to focus specifically on the period from January 1, 2022, to July 30, 2022. To this end, there were three research questions, i.e., what is the extent of coverage? What sources are used by the two media outlets in reporting? What are the major types of frames used in the coverage? The study followed a descriptive research design and employed a mixed research method. The study used purposive sampling techniques, which means, the sampled media, the media contents, key informants, and the period were purposively selected. Content analysis and interviews are the major data collection tools. The data was analyzed through quantitative and qualitative techniques. Agenda setting and framing theories were used, as guidance to analyze media coverage, identify sources of stories, and determine the types of framing used by both media outlets. Both media outlets broadcasted a total of 25 news stories about the Kore-Guji conflict. SRTA relies more on government officials as sources, while VOA sources its stories from conflict victims, officials, and conflicting groups, providing a comprehensive understanding. The study revealed that conflict reporting, particularly by regional media outlets, displayed a lack of responsibility. They were found to withhold information about the conflict and not disclose the truth, essentially functioning as an extension of the government in efforts to restore peace in the area, and both outlets tend to bury important information. The study recommended that media outlets should improve their coverage by conducting in-depth investigations and delving deeper into stories. It should be crucial for professional journalists to provide accurate information without immediately assigning blame, and to refrain from using techniques that bury significant details. Recognizing and addressing the role of the media in conflict reporting should be an early consideration in any intervention.
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    THE ROLE OF FM RADIO FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF YESILTI AGNOT PROGRAM AT ASELLA FANA FM 90.0
    (HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, 2023-06) Halil Amza (GPJMCR/0005/12)
    This study aims to explore the role of FM radio in social development, focusing on the case study of Asella Fana FM 90.0 Yesilti Agnot Radio Program (YARP). The study draws upon communication for development, social change, and participatory communication theories to understand the impact of FM radio on development. A qualitative research method was employed, utilizing interviews and content analysis as data collection tools. The findings of the study reveal that YARP produces various social development programs. These programs play a crucial role in promoting social change and development within the community. FM radio serves as a powerful medium for disseminating information, fostering dialogue, and engaging the public in participatory processes. Through its programming, YARP addresses a wide range of social issues such as education, health, gender equality, political participation and the likes. The study highlights the significance of FM radio in facilitating social development by providing a platform for marginalized voices to be heard, promoting community engagement, and fostering social cohesion. It demonstrates how FM radio can contribute to empowering individuals and communities by providing access to information, promoting cultural diversity, and encouraging active citizenship. Overall, this study emphasizes the vital role of FM radio in social development and underscores the importance of utilizing communication for development approaches to maximize its potential. By harnessing the power of FM radio as a tool for social change, communities can be empowered to address their own developmental challenges and work towards sustainable development.
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    JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION.
    (HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, 2023-11) ABADI KAHSAY
    The mass media, most significantly through its news, reporting, and analysis, affects what and how we learn about reality, hidden facts, and political views. Investigative journalism has been contributing to the realization of democracy, good governance, and human rights. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyses the practice and challenges of investigative journalism in the South Radio and Television Agency’s Neqash Program. The target population of the study was managers, editor-in-chiefs, editors, senior reporters, media experts, and producers. The researcher employed a descriptive research method. The research approach of the study was qualitative. To get relevant information, qualitative content analysis of sample news stories, and key informant interviews were applied as specific methods in the study. Regarding the Neqash programme, the result of the study showed that it is attempting to practice investigative journalism, although it is in an early stage. Neqash program primarily focuses on government institutions like land issues, corruption, and irregularities to promote good governance and democracy. It also relies on society, government bodies, and secondary sources like documents. The study also identified that lack of qualified journalists who were committed to this assignment, lack of logistics, lack of adequate training, organizational pressure, external interference such as political and financial, absence of incentives for investigative journalists, absence of protection for the journalist, and poor public participation as a source of information are the major challenges while practicing investigative journalism in the station, in particular the Neqash program.
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    THE PRACTICE AND CHALLENGES OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION AT HAWASSA UNIVERSITY COMPREHENSIVE SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN FOCUS
    (HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, 2024-05) MEDANIT BERISO
    Effective health communication plays a crucial role in promoting reproductive health outcomes, particularly in hospital settings. This study investigates the practice and challenges of health communication within Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, focusing on reproductive health. It examines what kind of communication strategies have been employed in the hospital and whether the communication strategies were effective in promoting and creating awareness about reproductive health. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and observations, and subjects were selected from the study population using purposive sampling techniques and by setting inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected from healthcare providers, administrators, and clients. A total of 266 clients seeking reproductive health services participated in the survey; 12 clients, 7 health providers, and 2 administrative staff participated in the interview. The findings highlight both positive aspects and challenges in health communication practices, including the implementation of client-centered communication strategies, patient education initiatives, and the integration of cultural sensitivity. However, significant challenges, such as the use of various communication channels, language barriers, limited resources, and inadequate training for healthcare providers, were identified. The study underscores the importance of addressing these challenges to enhance the effectiveness of health communication strategies and ultimately improve reproductive health outcomes in hospital settings. Recommendations are provided for policymakers, hospital administrators, and healthcare providers to optimize health communication practices and overcome existing challenges.
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    A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MEDIA FRAMING OF THE 2023 EOC SCHISM: NEWS BY OMN AND ESAT IN FOCUS
    (HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, 2024-05) LEALT ABEBE
    The media plays a pivotal role in shaping public perception and understanding of the events. In the context of religious crises, media framing becomes particularly significant. This study presents a comparative analysis of media framing of the 2023 Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC). The main objective was to analyze how the media in Ethiopia framed the church‟s‟ Schism from a comparative perspective. Two private-owned media outlets, ESAT Television and OMN Television, were purposefully selected to examine their use of frames in reporting the dispute between the EOC and a breakaway group of archbishops who formed a separate synod in the Oromia region. The study analyzed 54 news stories (27 from ESAT and 27 from OMN) posted between January 22, 2023, and February 16, 2023. Framing theory and agenda setting were employed as the theoretical framework, and a qualitative content analysis approach was used to address the research objective. The findings indicate that both media outlets used various framing techniques, but vii with distinct differences. ESAT predominantly employed a conflict frame, censorship, human interest frame while OMN used Solidarity, attribution of responsibility, cultural frame. ESAT also used attribution of responsibility as the second dominant frame, whereas OMN used it as the third dominant frame. Censorship frame was the fifth dominant frame in ESAT's coverage, and policy frame the fourth in OMN's. Additionally, ESAT utilized Conflict between religious factions and security forces Frame as the third dominant frame, which was absent in OMN's reporting. The study also found that the two media outlets relied on different sources of information in their news reports. ESAT primarily used direct quotes from the Holy Synod and government office notices, while OMN largely sourced information from the alleged “new synod” spokesperson and Oromo scholars and experts.