Reflections on Ethiopia's Media Law Reform

Abstract

Freedom of expression and the media is a lifeblood of democracy and the bedrock of any democratic society. The vitality of freedom of expression and the media is particularly significant in transitional democracies such as Ethiopia as it pacifies tension in society and reduces the risks of violence. Despite the unparalleled significance of freedom of expression and the media, however, Ethiopia’s legal framework on the media had some significant challenges that crippled the political space and created a chilling effect on free expression. This has led to extensive criticism by rights groups and international observers. Over the past two years, however, there have been some significant legal and political developments that paved the way for the media law reform in Ethiopia. The major part of reforming the media law in Ethiopia included amending the hitherto applicable Freedom of Mass Media and Access to Information Proclamation and the Broadcasting Service Proclamation. The purpose of this article is two-fold. At the normative level, it will discuss the key areas of the legal reform envisaged under the new Media Proclamation. Secondly, it will also highlight the process and different phases that the law reform process passed through as a way of reflection.