Mediatization of development in sub Saharan Africa: insights from Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), ‘Mahibere Kidusan’ magazine, Ethiopia

Development is an important issue for third world Sub-Saharan African countries such as Ethiopia. To enhance development, media have a significant role, but faith-based institutions, like religious media have not been considered significant contributors so far. This paper studies the Hamer, a religious magazine in Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahedo (EOTC) for about 30 years. This research examines the agenda and frames used by the Hamer magazine coverage of development issues (from 2005 -2020) in Ethiopia. The study applies a quantitative content analysis method and examined 308 stories. However, the political development issue was the most scarcely covered development issue as compared to others. Economic, moral, peace and social development issues had a relationship with the year of publication. Sources of economic development stories and dominant frames had impact on the choice of economic development stories. Similarly, dominant frames had impact on the choice of peace development stories. On the contrary, sources, story actors and dominant frames did not have significant impact on social, political, cultural, historical, moral, and natural resource development stories. Finally, the Hamer magazine had significant coverage of development issues although it is difficult to determine the causes of the extent of changes in the coverage. In conclusion, we propose that governmental and nongovernmental organizations should reconsider their communication contexts and can reach disadvantages through religious media while launching development programs.