PR-isation of the media: an examination of development journalism in Amhara radio obscured by public relations tactics

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to look into how rural development news was covered and reported in the evening 6:00 p.m. news on Amhara Radio. Data for the study were gathered through content analysis, in-depth interviews, and questionnaires. The agenda-setting theory and the model of development journalism served as the theoretical framework for the study. The findings reveal that rural development news items got relatively little coverage and frequency distribution during the period of study. The radio news is dominated by public relations reporting, success-oriented stories, in favour of events, and followed upward approaches. It is clearly observed that public relations have become the dominant news sources. Journalism is under the shade of public relations. Besides, the news contents were found to be against the principles of development news. The medium placed insignificant contributions to rural issues as evident in the inadequate placement of stories first and paucity of in-depth and interpretative analysis of issues. The findings revealed that the medium is not in a position to promote rural development which is/was the country’s top priority and considered being the central pillar of the economic policy. The research recommends this “PR-isation” of mass media jeopardises the profession and hence should be stopped.