ENA Should be Agenda Setter and Influential Media Outlet, Say Panelists

February 04,2022 (ENA) The Ethiopian News Agency should strive to be a leading national agenda setter and influential media outlet, according to panelists who presented papers for discussion at the panel held in connection with the 80th anniversary of ENA.

Presenting a discussion paper under the title "ENA's role in securing the existence of the nation", Coordinator of the Center for Democracy Building at the Prime Minister Office and ENA Board member, Bikila Hurissa explained in detail the role of the news agency over the past and half years in the law enforcement campaign.

According to him, the Ethiopian News Agency is a news network that has created an agenda for Ethiopians to understand the dangers they face and to fight back for the survival of their country.

The news agency has made a significant contribution to the history of the country by providing up-to-date and accurate information on various fronts, he noted.

The Board member stated that ENA has also fought the propaganda war with accurate information when various foreign powers and the international media launched hostile  propaganda against Ethiopia..

“We need institutions like ENA to lead Ethiopia through agenda. During the law enforcement campaign, ENA was an institution that identified itself as Ethiopia's media. For this reason, let's strengthen ENA; let’s make it strategic media and agenda setter. Let it have a strong organization. Let's support it with technology. Let's have competent and professional manpower. Let's strengthen its financial and logistical capacity and make it accessible and influential news outlet because as a country we need a strong news service. Let this institution be ENA.”

Addis Ababa University School of Journalism and Communication lecturer, Yohannes Shiferaw on his part described the experiences of news agencies in the world.

ENA is Africa's leading news service, he said, adding that it is very important as its benefits are likely to significantly reduce costs in producing news.

The lecturer advised that ENA focuses on what is truly important to the society and the potential of reaching neglected areas instead of pursuing profit.

“When it comes to news services, ENA has always been very neutral and very important as it is thinking all forms of the media outlets. This is very important because it is considering that news are sent to all the media. It also means that no one can be compared with ENA when it comes to setting a national agenda.”

Social Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister, Deacon Daniel Kibret said it is necessary to build institutions that transform Ethiopia. .

Recalling that ENA is one of the oldest surviving third-generation media outlets, he called for the need to build viable institutions by eliminating the practice of dismantling them.

The adviser criticized that there is a tendency to dismantle institutions in Ethiopia instead of establishing institutions that carry the long history of Ethiopia as a country.

The participants of the panelists emphasized the need to enhance the role of ENA not only in sustaining national interest of the country but also diversifying languages and promoting pan-Africanism.

They also stressed the need to work on quality and quantity of news to reach Africa and beyond through modern technology.