Examining op-ed columns in the Ethiopian media: A study of the public sphere

Abstract

This study investigates the state of the public sphere in the Ethiopian media during the country’s 2018 political reform. It reports on an innovative print format that has proved to be a public sphere. Drawing on methodological insight from quantitative content analysis, the study examines the democratic potential of op-ed columns in the light of public sphere theory. Contrary to the original purpose of op-ed column, our findings indicate that Ethiopian op-ed columns fall short to fit to the principles of public sphere, such as a narrow range of viewpoints, a limited authorship diversity, and an absence of independent op-ed columns. The study further reveals that ownership structure and media’s orientation to the public sphere are factors that shape the features of op-ed columns in Ethiopian media. Qualitative analysis reveals contested framing of the 2018 Ethiopian political reform across the selected media outlets, with op-ed coverage presenting varying facts and evaluations. This contestant is evident in the use of individual- versus societal-level responsibility frames and pro- versus anti-reform binary frames.