Private press criticised for violations

The Ethiopian government has said that only a quarter of the 639 licensed press products are currently operating, and that most of the private press violate the press law. Fantahun Asres, press licence and supervision department acting head with the information ministry, told the pro-government Walta Information Centre that of the 419 newspapers, 143 magazines, three news agencies and 74 electronic printing presses, only 190 were functioning at present. He said some 377 newspapers, 122 magazines and one private news agency had abandoned operations because of the lack of market, Walta said on Wednesday. At present, 80 newspapers, 34 magazines, two news agencies and 74 electronic printing presses were operating in the country, Fantahun said. There was a need to undertake market research to survive the free competition among the press, he said. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Ahmed, crime affairs department head with the justice ministry, said only a handful of the private press were adhering to the press law and respecting the journalistic code of ethics. He said that whereas the private press had the right to criticise the government while adhering to the press law, the ministry would cancel the licences of those publications that were repeatedly sued for violating the press law and failed to discharge their responsibility.