Balancing journalistic practice and personal disclosures among Ethiopian journalists in a state media context

Journalists usually struggle to maintain private affairs with their professional responsibilities while practising journalism. This article scrutinizes the interplay between journalists’ professional and individual exposures and its impacts on the culture of journalism practice in the Ethiopian state media perspective of Amhara Media Corporation (AMC). Qualitative research method, along with in-depth interviews and document analysis, was used to collect data. Semi-structured questions were forwarded to twelve purposively selected journalists working in AMC. Individual-level analysis of the Hierarchy of Influences Model (HIM) and Individual Level of Branding were applied as theoretical templates. Findings reveal that journalists’ journalistic contents are exposed to numerous occupational-level perspectives. Individual backgrounds and professional dilemmas journalists face are the dominant challenges while practising professional journalism. Journalists’ academic qualifications and upbringing do have strong linkages with their culture of journalism practice. The interface between sensitive reporting on politics, ethnicity, religion and professionalism is seen resulted in eroding journalistic integrity and creating professional dilemmas among journalists in Ethiopia. It is recommended that media organizations have comprehensible working guidelines and editorial policies to alleviate the blurred lines between individual exposures and the professionalism of journalists in Ethiopia.