Ethiopia Media Authority Indefinitely Suspends Registration of The Reporter Newspapers

The Ethiopian Media Authority has indefinitely suspended the registration certificate of Media and Communication Center PLC, the publisher of The Reporter Amharic and English newspapers, as well as the Ethiopian Reporter digital platform, citing alleged repeated violations of media laws and professional journalistic ethics.

In a statement, the Authority said the suspension would take effect on Monday, Tikimt 23, 2019 E.C., and would remain in place until the media organization fully complies with its legal and professional obligations.

The regulator said it had identified repeated violations through content monitoring conducted over more than a year across the company's Amharic and English publications and its digital platforms.

Among the alleged violations, the Authority cited the repeated publication of content it said contradicted Ethiopia's national interests, sensationalized politically, socially and economically sensitive issues, and presented national information without sufficient context, potentially creating public confusion and suspicion.

The Authority also accused the media outlet of publishing what it described as misleading information that could negatively affect foreign investment, tourism and diplomatic relations.

Other concerns raised in the statement included the publication of reports allegedly undermining the country's image and national security, weakening social cohesion and shared values, and producing unbalanced and biased coverage.

The regulator further alleged that the publications had damaged the reputations of institutions through unverified reporting motivated by personal interests.

According to the Authority, it had held repeated discussions over the past year with the media company's owners and chief editors, urging them to address the identified shortcomings. It said a final warning had also been issued, but no sufficient improvement had been observed in the outlet's published content.

The Authority said the decision was made under Media Proclamation No. 1238/2021, which empowers it to monitor media content, issue and renew media licenses and registration certificates, and suspend or revoke them in cases of violations of applicable laws and regulations.

Under the suspension, the company's registration certificate will remain inactive, preventing the publication and distribution of its Amharic and English newspapers and online content until the Authority's stated requirements are fulfilled.

The announcement did not specify a timeline for lifting the suspension, describing it as indefinite.

The decision marks a significant regulatory action against one of Ethiopia's established private media organizations. The allegations and justifications outlined above reflect the Media Authority's position as presented in its official statement.