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Alastair McPhail CMG OBE
Months have passed since COVID-19 impacted the world in many ways. This pandemic is challenging the world’s social, economic, and political order. In this sense, the media is one of the sectors that face a difficult challenge posed by COVID-19 and this year World Press Freedom Day will be commemorated on May 3, 2020 under the theme ‘Without fear or favor ‘. interview, Alastair McPhail CMG OBE, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa reflects with Zekarias Sintayehu of The Reporter on the impact that COVID-19 has on the media. Excerpts
The Reporter: The media sector in Ethiopia is still in its infancy and most media houses are struggling to survive. Adding insult to injury, COVID-19 is putting them in a very fragile situation. How do you see the impact of COVID-19 in the sector?
Alastair McPhail CMG OBE: The COVID-19 pandemic is making it difficult for the media around the world to do their job. Members of the press must observe social distancing and other measures designed to stop the spread of the virus, but that makes getting out and gathering information incredibly difficult.
I recognize that things will probably be even more difficult in Ethiopia. The media has only enjoyed freedom for the past few years and is still figuring out how to operate. This is compounded by the challenges journalists face here that they cannot in other countries. Poor connectivity, for example, will make remote work difficult.
However, I hope this pandemic will help Ethiopian media see how vital its role is as a reliable and trustworthy source of information. I have been inspired by the ambition and sense of public service of many Ethiopian journalists I have met. The sector here is in its infancy, as you say. But it has incredible potential and a great role to play in the development of Ethiopia.
If the media in Ethiopia stands firm and can find ways to adapt to the circumstances, I am sure that stronger and more mature will emerge from this crisis.
We are witnessing the social, economic and political impact of COVID-19 worldwide. What do you think the means of survival should do during COVID-19? How could the media achieve economic sustainability?
While I am not an expert in the business of managing a media house, I do know that it is difficult.
Some of the most financially stable media in the world are those that readers trust and trust. The media must ensure that they build a loyal audience.
A loyal audience should facilitate earning advertising revenue. I know that COVID-19 is impacting the economy, but the growing business environment should make advertising an increasingly viable form of economic sustainability for the media.
Later, Ethiopian media may consider charging their readers to access content online. Again, having built a loyal audience will help with this.
More recently, we started working with BBC Media Action on a project that aims to strengthen and increase the sustainability of independent media in Ethiopia.
The proliferation of fake news and disinformation has become a major challenge for the media. How do you think the media should act to discredit fake news and disinformation?
In a world where fake news is so common, and can be so damaging, the media must step up their professionalism and skill level.
The media must ensure that they do not spread false news or misinformation themselves. Check everything you post.
If the media is verifying everything they publish, the public will see them as a credible source of information. They will then search for the truth when confused by the misinformation they see online. In this way, fake news loses power.
The media must be very careful. One mistake can cost you your reputation as a trusted source for news.
What will the role of the media be in the fight against COVID-19?
The role of the media in the fight against COVID-19 is enormous. I would say that this role is not only for large organizations. In some parts of this country, people depend on smaller, local news sources.
As I have already said, the media have an important role to play in discrediting fake news. The UK is working hard to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, but we don’t have it yet. At the moment, the greatest defense we have to stop the spread of the virus is to provide people with the correct information on how they can protect themselves and others. The media are essential to ensure that people everywhere get this information.
Ethiopia has made progress on the Press Freedom Index, but some industry players argue that the situation on the ground has not changed as much. To support their argument, these media players claim that journalists continue to be arrested for doing their job. How do you evaluate press freedom in Ethiopia?
The government has made great strides towards press freedom in Ethiopia, and the country’s place in the index correctly reflects this. I acknowledge, as I believe the government does, that the reforms are not yet being implemented perfectly. The government must not allow COVID-19 or any other crisis to derail progress. We are watching the situation closely.
The United Kingdom fully supports the positive reforms the government has made. We support the release of journalists and the unblocking of websites.
Last year, our Foreign Secretary was in Addis when he announced new UK-funded press freedom grants for candidates from African countries, including Ethiopia. While this program has unfortunately been delayed due to COVID-19, I hope that fellows will lead the press in Africa to continue to press for media freedom.
The recent Hate Speech Law has been considered by many to be similar to the previous repressive anti-terrorism law. Many were pressuring parliament not to approve it. But parliament paid attention to that and passed the law and is now becoming governor. What will be the impact of that law in reducing press freedom spaces in Ethiopia?
We have hate laws in the UK, so this is not something we disagree with in principle. Laws like these are important as they prevent people from inciting violence.
Still, I can understand why people, especially journalists, distrust laws like this. I know that some law scholars have expressed concern about the text of the law itself and how widely it could be implemented.
What matters then is how this law is implemented. The government must ensure that everyone has a fair trial. A strong and independent justice system should stop any law that is used for political purposes. The government needs to continue building these strong and fair institutions so that basic rights are respected.
The media in Ethiopia is not only being challenged by the government, but is also being thrown under the bus by different non-state actors. What must be done to protect the sector?
It is important to understand that press freedom needs more than just reforms in government regulation. The whole environment must support the press doing its job.
The media in Ethiopia must be united. In a country with a mature press sector like the UK, we see journalists from competitive publications and viewpoints defending each other when one of them is attacked. The government and society should never accept that a journalist be attacked, but neither should other journalists. The press must defend themselves with pride and they will be stronger.
Ethiopia will hold its six national elections in the coming months. Since this year the theme of World Press Freedom Day is “No fear or favor”, how do you think the media should do to report the upcoming elections without fear or favor?
Reporting without fear or favor means doing it impartially, without political or ethnic interests.
I hope that, before the elections, the Ethiopian media will make sure to give fair coverage to all the candidates.
I also hope that journalists will act on behalf of the public. The best journalists ask the right questions, making sure voters get the information they need to make informed decisions.
I also hope that the media plays a key role in challenging and discrediting fake news. As with COVID-19, the press must verify anything it publishes.
I know that some Ethiopian journalists would like more training. The UK has trained 100 Ethiopian journalists in the past three years. We have also been working with UNESCO on an Ethiopian Media Sector Alliance. This should help provide training programs and unify the sector.
The government considers the media, especially the private media, as traitors. It is one of the sectors with the least incentives. What do you think the government should do to grow the sector?
I meet regularly with high-ranking members of the Ethiopian government, and this experience does not lead me to believe that they regard the private media as traitors. The government should want to encourage better media. By competing for readers, private media will improve their offering.
The government must continue to build a good working relationship with the media. We are fortunate in the UK that there is a mature and highly trustworthy relationship between the state and the press.
I would encourage governments to ensure that they interact with all parts of the media in their country. And journalists must also ensure that they are a trustworthy partner, acting with professionalism and integrity.
For those of us who work in politics, asking difficult questions is only part of our job.
The UK has sunk the World Press Freedom Index. Is the UK still in a position to defend media freedom? What about the murder of Lyra McKee, the treatment of Julian Assange?
The UK will always defend media freedom. Our press is known throughout the world for its skill, professionalism and independence. I cannot comment on particular cases that may have affected our ranking of the Press Freedom Index this year. The horrific murder of Lyra Mckee in Northern Ireland shows that the freedom of the press to do her important job safely can never be taken for granted.
