Abstract
ABSTRACT This paper explored the practices of Habermasian Ethical Discourses. It focused on three Ethiopian television programs: the EBC's ETV Medrek, the FBC's Zuria Meles, and the LTV's Sefiw Mehidar programs. It aimed to examine the extent these programs constitute engaged debate and discussion that provided features of deliberative communication. Results showed that the televised debates constituted the Discourse Quality Index (DQI) criteria. Though there were certain incivilities, the debates were conveyed mainly with respect. The EBC's ETV Medrek and FBC's Zuria Meles debates successfully managed the deliberations as the debaters mainly were from academia, experts, and government authorities. But the LTV's Sefiw Mehidar debates created conflicting interests resulting in positional politics. Most of the debaters on LTV's Sefiw Mehidar were opposition political parties who came out with their party's initial motions. The findings of this study become central for public forum participants to adhering ethical and moral principles of deliberations. Also, it is valuable to recognize how the news media shape and construct public debate/discourse in Ethiopia.
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