NAB meets Ethiopian broadcasting industry delegation

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) met with a delegation from Multichoice Africa, Multichoice Ethiopia and members of the Ethiopian broadcasting and media sector on Tuesday, 30 May 2023.

Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) Director-General Mohammed Edris Mohammed, Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation CEO Feseha Yetagsu Manbegrot, Multichoice Ethiopia Deputy GM and Molalign Beyene (Head of the Office of the CEO) of the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation were part of the delegation from Ethiopia.

The knowledge-sharing session touched on various points of mutual interest including the sustainability of the community media sector and the growth of online media platforms and the challenges they pose to broadcasters. The relationships between regulatory bodies and industry associations in South Africa and Ethiopia were discussed.

The EMA’s Mohammed commended the “research-based” relationship the NAB enjoyed with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. He also remarked that ensuring the sustainability of community media was difficult in Ethiopia.

“There is no silver bullet when it comes to the sustainability of the community media sector as the problems differ in each country. However, we must safeguard community broadcasting because it is at the heart of our communities,” NAB Executive Director Nadia Bulbulia said in response.

The NAB and the Ethiopian delegation shared concerns about the risks of unregulated online content and platforms including the spreading of misinformation, hate speech and harmful content.