Media assets

Television: Nationwide-ETV News, ETV Languages, ETV Entertainment, ETV Sport, ETV East, ETV West, ETV North, ETV South, ETV Representative

Radio: Ethiopian National Radio, FM Addis 97.1, FM 104.7

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

EBC is fully owned by the Ethiopian government and operates under the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation Establishment Proclamation No. 858/2014, which defines it as an autonomous institution accountable to Parliament. However, the corporation’s autonomy has been widely questioned.

The governing board includes six members affiliated with the ruling party. As of June 2025, Fekadu Tessema, a senior figure formerly leading the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), continues to serve as board chair—a position he has held since 2019.

The chief executive officer is nominated by the government and confirmed by Parliament. In December 2023, Parliament appointed Getnet Tadesse as the new Director General of EBC, replacing long-serving director Nigusu Tilahun.

Source of funding and budget

EBC’s budget and funding structure remain opaque. The founding proclamation vaguely states that EBC shall be financed through government allocations and other unspecified revenues “collected in accordance with this proclamation.” There is no publicly available annual financial report.

Although EBC claimed in 2016 that it was fully self-financed through advertising revenues, this has not been independently verified. More than 50% of its current budget is estimated to come from direct government funding, according to internal sources and media analysts.

The license fee, meant to be a public contribution to fund EBC, remains poorly enforced. Despite a November 2022 bill doubling the annual license fee from ETB 60 to ETB 120 (approx. US$ 2.2), the collection rate remains low. The bill includes enforcement mechanisms such as fines and jail time for non-payment, sparking public and parliamentary criticism. Legislators argued that EBC’s content quality should improve before any increase in public contributions is justified. Despite opposition, the bill was passed by the House of People’s Representatives in late 2022.

According to official data, EBC’s budget for the 2023–2024 fiscal year reached approximately ETB 600 million (US$ 10.4 million). No official data has been released yet for the 2024–2025 budget, but early parliamentary discussions suggest a moderate increase tied to infrastructure upgrades and digital broadcasting investments.

Editorial independence

While the legal framework does not grant the EBC board formal editorial control, practical boundaries between governance and editorial decision-making remain blurred. EBC has consistently been perceived as an outlet closely aligned with the government.

Under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, concerns about direct interference have intensified. Several senior journalists from EBC, interviewed in 2023 and 2024, reported recurring instances of editorial censorship, especially during politically sensitive events such as the Tigray conflict, Oromia protests, and election coverage.

The proclamation establishing EBC outlines the broadcaster’s general mission but fails to provide specific legal guarantees for editorial independence. No independent regulatory or supervisory mechanism exists to monitor or protect editorial freedom at the corporation.

As of mid-2025, multiple academic assessments and watchdog reports continue to categorize EBC as a pro-government outlet, raising questions about its capacity to fulfill a public service mandate in line with democratic norms.

June 2025

Media assets

News agency: ENA

Publishing: Ethiopian Herald, Addis Zemen

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

ENA is fully state-owned and operates under close government oversight. The agency is governed by a seven-member board, whose members are nominated by the executive and confirmed by Parliament. The board is chaired by the Vice Minister of Information, a clear indication of its direct subordination to the government’s communications apparatus. Several board members are sitting Members of Parliament, further blurring the lines between editorial oversight and political authority.

Despite nominal references to autonomy in ENA’s founding legal framework, in practice, governance decisions remain heavily politicized, with appointments and directives shaped by ruling party interests.

Source of funding and budget

The agency is almost entirely dependent on public subsidies, with no significant alternative revenue streams. There is a lack of transparency surrounding its financial operations; no audited financial statements or detailed budget breakdowns are publicly available.

According to government data, ENA received a state subsidy of ETB 100 million (approx. US$ 1.7 million) for the 2023–2024 fiscal year. Local media experts estimate that more than 90% of ENA’s budget comes directly from the government, leaving the agency highly vulnerable to political influence. Discussions in early 2025 about increasing ENA’s budget to expand digital operations and regional presence have not yet materialized into confirmed allocations.

Editorial independence

Editorial independence at ENA exists largely in name only. The agency has long functioned as a mouthpiece of the state, with censorship and self-censorship deeply entrenched in its newsroom culture. Journalists and editors routinely toe the government line, with little room for dissent or critical coverage.

This pattern of control extends to its affiliated newspapers, Addis Zemen and The Ethiopian Herald, both of which largely reflect the priorities and narratives of the ruling authorities. Despite ENA’s operations being governed by a specific legal proclamation, no provisions exist within it to safeguard editorial autonomy.

Moreover, no independent oversight body or assessment mechanism has been established to evaluate or protect the agency’s editorial integrity. Internal whistleblowers and external media observers have repeatedly flagged incidents of political interference, particularly during periods of civil unrest or elections.

As of June 2025, ENA continues to play a central role in Ethiopia’s state-controlled media ecosystem, delivering content that overwhelmingly reinforces government messaging while marginalizing alternative or oppositional voices. In a public address, ENA CEO Seife Deribe emphasized the agency’s role in “image‑building and fostering national consensus,” urging ENA to strengthen solidarity and nation‑building initiatives.

June 2025

Walta operates a multilingual news portal—offering content in Amharic, English, and Arabic—and runs Walta TV, a broadcast station that focuses primarily on social, political, and government-related developments in Amharic. Its editorial output consistently echoes state narratives, placing it among the country’s most overtly government-aligned outlets.

Media assets

News portal: Walta Info

Television: Walta TV

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Walta is government-owned and operates under a conventional corporate structure led by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and overseen by a board of directors. However, while the structure mimics that of a commercial entity, its editorial and operational direction is widely believed to be steered by political forces.

Although WMCC is legally registered as a share company, all effective ownership traces back to the ruling Prosperity Party, which succeeded the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) in December 2019. According to several journalists and former employees interviewed for this report, the board’s composition is shaped by party loyalty rather than independent expertise or media experience.

In 2024, no changes to the corporate governance structure or appointments were reported publicly, reinforcing the perception of tight political control.

Source of funding and budget

WMCC is financially sustained through government support, channeled via the Prosperity Party’s budgetary ecosystem. While it operates under the guise of commercial viability, its dependence on state-aligned funding mechanisms leaves it beholden to political interests.

Internal records reviewed for this report show that Walta’s total income in 2023 was approximately ETB 434 million (around US$ 7.6 million). The breakdown of this figure remains opaque, but informed sources suggest the bulk of the revenue came from state advertising, content contracts with public institutions, and political communications services.

There are no publicly available audit reports, and Walta does not disclose its funding sources or annual budgets to the public, undermining transparency.

Editorial independence

Walta’s editorial stance is unequivocally pro-government. Described by observers as an “arm of the state’s communication strategy,” the outlet operates more as a public relations entity than as an independent journalistic institution.

Coverage on Walta TV and its online platforms overwhelmingly highlights government achievements, speeches by high-ranking officials, and narratives aligned with the Prosperity Party’s agenda. Critical voices, opposition viewpoints, and investigative journalism are virtually absent from its programming.

Walta’s self-declared mission includes “public relations services,” blurring the line between news and propaganda. No statutory guarantees for editorial independence have been identified in the company’s governing documents, nor does any independent regulatory or oversight mechanism exist to ensure journalistic independence.

Recent reports in 2024 and 2025 from media freedom organizations continue to rank Walta among Ethiopia’s least independent media institutions, reinforcing its reputation as a state communications proxy rather than a watchdog of power.

June 2025

Media assets

Television: OBN

Radio: OBN Radio

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

OBN is administered by the Oromia Radio and Television Organization (ORTO), a government entity established under Proclamation No. 113/2006 by the Oromia Regional Government. Initially named the Oromia Mass Media Organization (OMMO), it was restructured and rebranded as ORTO in 2011 through Proclamation No. 164/2011.

Despite claims of institutional autonomy, ORTO functions squarely under the aegis of the regional administration, with its leadership typically appointed by the Oromia regional cabinet. As of mid-2025, no changes in ORTO’s governance structure or legal framework have been reported. The organization’s executive board remains politically appointed, raising long-standing concerns about lack of editorial independence and institutional neutrality.

Source of funding and budget

ORTO operates as a publicly funded entity, though its budgetary details remain opaque. According to several Oromia-based journalists interviewed between March and April 2024, OBN receives 100% of its financial support from the Oromia Regional Government. No independent financial disclosures or audit reports have been released to the public.

There is no available data on OBN’s revenue generation, such as advertising income or commercial sponsorships. Attempts to diversify income streams appear limited, and efforts to introduce licensing fees have not been publicly discussed or implemented as of 2025.

Editorial independence

OBN is widely regarded as the communications arm of the Oromia regional government, operating less as a journalistic institution and more as a political megaphone. Journalists familiar with the network describe a newsroom culture heavily influenced by political messaging, top-down editorial directives, and routine censorship.

Programming routinely amplifies government priorities, regional leader speeches, and development narratives, while critical perspectives, opposition voices, and investigative reporting are conspicuously absent. During politically sensitive moments—including election cycles, protests, and regional security crackdowns—OBN’s editorial tone has closely mirrored official Oromia government positions.

As of June 2025, there are no laws or statutory guarantees in place to safeguard the editorial independence of OBN or its parent body, ORTO. Likewise, no independent regulatory body has been established to oversee the broadcaster’s adherence to journalistic standards or balance in coverage.

June 2025