A new academic study is raising tough questions about the future of community broadcasting in Ethiopia, arguing that the sector — long viewed as a democratic tool for rural empowerment — has been weakened by government dominance, legal ambiguities and limited citizen participation.
Published in the Journal of Asian and African Studies (JAAS), the paper by media scholar Dr Mulatu Alemayehu Moges is titled “Redefining Community Broadcasting in Ethiopia: Towards Public Ownership and Engagement.” It delivers one of the most detailed critiques to date of how Ethiopia’s community radio landscape has drifted from its original purpose of serving as a grassroots citizen-driven platform for local knowledge, debate and development.
Community broadcasting in Ethiopia was introduced with the promise of amplifying rural voices and supporting local development. Dr Moges notes that this model — successful in parts of Latin America, Asia and Southern Africa — typically depends on clear ownership structures, transparent governance and strong community involvement.
But in Ethiopia, the study finds, the state has maintained tight control over the sector from its inception. Many stations registered as “community” broadcasters are effectively managed by government offices or politically aligned regional bodies. Editorial independence is limited, and programming often mirrors state priorities rather than community needs.
“Community radio is expected to empower local people,” Dr Moges writes. “But the current ownership and governance frameworks do not enable genuine public participation.”
Legal grey zones and ownership gaps
A major contribution of the paper is its detailed examination of the legal framework. Ethiopia’s media laws recognise community broadcasting as a distinct category, yet they do not clearly define:
- who should own community stations
- how they should be governed
- what mechanisms guarantee community accountability
- how financial independence should be protected
As a result, Dr Moges argues, the majority of “community” radio initiatives have become extensions of local administrations — community in name, but not in practice. Funding, content priorities and leadership often come from the state, leaving little room for citizen oversight.
Although community members interact with stations as audiences, their involvement in actual decision-making remains minimal.
The study highlights several barriers:
- limited training and capacity among volunteers
- gatekeeping by political actors
- inclusion limited to cultural or development programming
- lack of transparent boards or community-led committees
In some cases, communities serve only as programme contributors, offering stories, songs or local updates, while strategic decisions are made far above them. Dr Moges argues that this undermines the very definition of community radio as a collectively owned, non-profit service.
A push for public ownership and local accountability
To realign the sector with international norms, Dr Moges proposes a shift toward public ownership models where citizens, not government agencies, serve as the primary custodians. This would mean:
- independently elected community boards
- transparent financial structures
- legal guarantees against political interference
- long-term training and professional support
- mechanisms for evaluating community needs
Crucially, he calls for revising Ethiopia’s media laws to specify what a community broadcaster is and what it is not.
Ethiopia has undergone years of political turbulence, media liberalisation efforts, and recurring debates over freedom of expression. In this environment, community broadcasting is more than a development tool, it can be a stabilising force that gives citizens access to information in their own languages, helps mediate conflict, and strengthens accountability at the local level.
But without reforms, Dr Moges warns, the sector risks becoming “a parallel form of state broadcasting” rather than a genuine voice of the people.
With Ethiopia exploring new media reforms and facing increasing demands for decentralised communication platforms, the study arrives at a critical time. Dr Moges’ research offers both a diagnosis and a roadmap that suggests Ethiopia could still build a vibrant community media ecosystem if it embraces participatory governance and protects independence.
For now, the paper serves as a reminder that community radio can only be truly “community” when citizens themselves hold the power to shape it.
Image by Elina Volkova via Pexels
This article was originally published by Ajen newsletter on December 9, 2025