Independence in the shadow of power: A phenomenological inquiry of Public Service Broadcasting Management in Ethiopia

This phenomenological inquiry aimed at exploring how Public Service Broadcasting managers and journalists in Ethiopia experience and interpret independence in their daily professional practice where enduring political control, financial dependency, and institutional subservience intersect to undermine journalistic autonomy. The study covers the past three decades, with particular emphasis on the final six years of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front regime and the six years following its dissolution. The lived experiences of 17 research participants including members of Parliament, media board members, media managers, editors-in-chief, and instructors from schools of media and communication were purposively selected for an in-depth interview employed as a primary tool for the study. The findings indicate that the interlocking political, financial, and legal framework dependencies have institutionalized a culture of conformity within the public broadcaster, thereby eroding professional autonomy and reconstituting the institution as an echo of political power rather than a watchdog of public interest. The researchers recommend that a democratic culture grounded in accountability, transparency, and service to the public be fostered, in so doing the Public Service Broadcasting as a system should enhance editorial independence and institutional autonomy by depoliticizing governance, diversifying funding, and enforcing legal and policy safeguards.