by Teshome Debalke
Bravery is a trait that is much needed in Media-journalism than any other occupation. Confronting tyranny with bare hand not only require bravery but, principled stand on public interest. When Eskider Nega and Reyot Alem and many more before them face-off ethnic tyranny that cause so much pain and suffering bare hand on the battle ground there is no whatsoever excuses for anyone in a distance places to decompose their responsibility to the people and stand tall.
Every week I glance through all Ethiopian online Medias to catch up with what is happening to my people and country. Beside ESAT and a few online Medias as my primary source of daily news, I take a pick over the rest not so kosher sites to see how far they drift to divert the burning issue of our people for whatever reason they do it.
Naturally, no one have much expectation from the official TPLF’s pimps for doing the job they are paid to recycle rubbish everyday of the year. After all they accepted they can’t rise up out of rubbish recycling business. I can understand the motivation to take the low road and to remain down there for too long. But, the real problems are the rest of Medias that claim to be free but drift allover the map aimlessly; distracting the struggle to rid the ethnic tyranny we are condemned under.
After observing the online Medias for extended period I came to conclusion that, either they are infected with Woyane disease or simply jiving us on their responsibility. It could also be their ambition clouding their mind to use Media as a vehicle to achieve their other agenda.
First thing is First
When it comes to real Media, for that matter political party or civic organization the ultimate measure is how intensely they go after things that are important for the public interest. And, what is important is not what tyranny claim it did or does to jive the public to stay uninvited.
Therefore, if people are under tyrannical rule like we Ethiopians are, Free Media duty is to go after the brazen ruling regime that is killing and robbing our people. Likewise, if people are under democratic rule like Americans are, it is to go after the elected representatives to see if they are doing the job they elected to do or goofing around to fill their pocket book with corruption.
It might sound too idealistic for some of our contemporary elites that made public interest an academic or ideological exercise to generate paper in abandoning our people for tyranny or foreign perks they can put their hands on. But, many brave souls stood firm for the public interest and made it possible for their people to live free of tyranny. Ethiopians have our own brave souls on the frontline that paid and paying with their lives and limbs as a vanguard of the people’s interest. If only we all back them up to free us from tyranny.
Unfortunately, those that can’t tell the difference between public interest and petty interest became noxious in society to prolong the life of tyranny. Therefore, in tyranny ruled nation like Ethiopia there is absolutely noting better for any Media, political party or organization as important as going after tyranny until it unconditionally surrenders for the people will.
Thus, when one observe reports, news pieces or anything that resemble recycled rubbish that shouldn’t belong in any self-respecting ‘Free Media’ we can’t help but say it isn’t kosher and make sure it never get away.
What isn’t KOSHER?
The very meaning of ‘Free Media’ is to be the adversary of tyranny period. In other word, the first and only priority of Free Media is to be the vanguard of the public interest. Thus, rejecting anything tyranny isn’t only a duty but the guiding principle that drives Free Media. Therefore, entertaining direct and indirect rubbish coming out of tyranny isn’t only kosher but, in bad taste; if not a crime against the public interest.
Let’s take few examples of not so kosher way of massaging rubbish and presenting it as worthy news. Content sourced from tyranny via a third party or unverifiable sources’ with off the wall story and the untimely content that distract from the pressing issue are some of the substandard news to qualify for Free Media reporting that doesn’t worth the ink and space wasted on it.
For example ‘India can partner Ethiopia in space technology’ by IANS (Indo-AsianNews Service).
It says
‘Addis Ababa, Nov 28 (IANS) With Ethiopia launching a new space programme last month, India can have a promising partnership with Africa in this frontier technology, India’s outgoing ambassador here has said’
It goes on to say… can…should…would… with absolutely no verifiable value worthy of news. It is also tacky for a Media to provide a personal Gmail contact; ‘Hadra Ahmed can be reached at hadraahmed@gmail.com’ (It isn’t clear Hadra works for Ethiomedia or IANS where the news suppose to originate)
Another one is from AFP titled ‘Over 50,000 illegal Ethiopian workers sent home from Saudi Arabia’ quoting the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry.
It says,
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) – Ethiopia has flown home over 50,000 citizens in Saudi Arabia after a crackdown against illegal immigrants in the oil-rich state, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.
Strangely, the Foreign Ministry’s website doesn’t claim 50,000 returned but estimate the total numbers to be between 50 to 80 thousands.
But, given the urgency of the crises in Saudi Arabia and knowing what the brazen Woyane regime is capable, the last thing Ethiopians expect from ‘Free Media’ is what a departing Indian diplomat’s wild imagination on space exploration may be or worthy news from the regime’s sources. For that we have Reporter and Addis Fortune or more like Mis-Reporter and Mis-Fortune
What possible value could water down reporting and unverifiable sourced news serves the public interest?
If the message is to say the regime is doing its job repatriating migrant workers or Ethiopia under Woyane is advancing in space technology to send satellite or space crew to the orbit just because some foreigner said so, it is a deliration of duty that wouldn’t be expected ‘Free Media’ based in the free world.
Another example of not kosher news is from Tadias Magazine titled NYC Ethiopians Make Presence Felt at the Saudi Mission to the United Nations
By Tadias Staff on Wednesday, November 20th, 2013
‘New York (TADIAS) — Ethiopians in New York made their presence felt outside the Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations on Monday, November 18th.’
The water down report that supposed to cover a demonstration titled it ‘Ethiopians make their presence felt’ and picked a featured picture of one woman out of the 100s at its disposal. It added ‘diverse crowd included members of the Caribbean and other African communities joining fellow Ethiopians’ and completely ignored the 100s of report to the role of the ruling Ethiopian regime that was also the target of the demonstration all over the world. It also failed to interview the demonstrators as one would expect from ‘Free Media”.
Is it possible Media can be more than water down report or cut-and-paste flyby news coming from every direction that suit someone’s wishes, imagination, fantasies and illusions? If that isn’t the case, how is it people waste valuable time and misuse technology that can be better used for the ‘real thing’ intended? Better yet, what is the use of Free Media if it isn’t to squeeze tyranny and its riffraff that live-off the sweat and blood of the people?
Seriously, what would make full grown adults with all the opportunities the free world offers them (knowledge, freedom, technology, access…) without contributing a penny to make it turn around and reduce such privilege to undermine the very people and country that struggle for the same privilege?
Could it be fear, corruption or lack of confidence that rattle their mind to make them a walking danger for public interest?
Personally, when it comes guarding the public interest I don’t see much effort in most Ethiopian online Medias. The two examples are not isolated incidence. Opinion aside, wouldn’t it be nice for Medias to do investigative reporting on what is important to our people? Say for example, why the brazen regime is wasting public money to buy telescope (‘explore space’) when it couldn’t put up temporary shelter on earth to Ethiopian migrant workers it trafficked in the Middle East and claim to repatriate? How it is a country under Woyane where having an e-mail is a luxury buying telescope turned into exploring space worthy of news?
Better yet, couldn’t it be more productive if Free Medias goes, say after EFFORT and its army of corrupt merchants-of-death that is robbing the country blind so that the money can be recovered and used for public good? What about confronting the self-declared ethnic Apartheid regime to surrender for democracy? I mean; the real things that make a difference.
On the more urgent issue of the suffering of our people, how come the ‘Free Media’ not looking into the estimated 400 ‘employment agencies’ permitted by the regime’s Labor Ministry to traffic humans in the name of job opportunity? Are these agencies TPLF owned business enterprises in human trafficking? Questions and more question …investigation and more investigation in public interest.
I almost gave up on most of Ethiopian online Medias until ESAT showed up and changed the Media landscape. The very existence of ESAT– rattling tyranny to see the screaming of its stooges and apologists by itself is priceless. When we add what ESAT does to educate us it is worth billions of dollars of free lessons. In fact, the messengers of tyranny and poverty should contribute double for being freed from recycling rubbish.
While we are at it, I recommend establishing The ESAT Foundation and give at least 10% of our income and to allow us to leave our Estate for the Foundation. After all, as we are obligated to give for spiritual reasons, what could be a better cause than freeing our mind from rubbish propaganda?
In conclusion, if you call yourself ‘Free Media’ and happen to neglect your responsibility Ethiopians are watching. The day of impunity is closing faster than you think. Shape-up-or-ship-out is the message that would ring more and more frequently.
As the struggle for democracy intensifies, the responsibility of Free Media is noting more than to stand guard for public interest. If you are not up to it, say so and do what you do best.
Freedom from tyranny is coming; there is no way around it. The question for one-and-all of us is ‘to-be-or-not-to-be’ on the right side of history. When it comes to the Media, it is ‘‘to-be-or-not-to-be’ free in defending the public interest from tyranny and its riffraff. Whichever sides of history we choose determine our fate. For sure, there is no glory to be on the side of tyranny. It is the last place a self respecting person chooses.
The article is dedicated to our suffering people under the medieval kingdoms of Arabia and at the hand of the self-declared ethnic regime of Ethiopia.
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