Haramaya University

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITY

DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIOM
ANALYSIS THE NEWS CONTENT OF THE FRONT PAGE IN THE CASE OF
ADDISS ZEMEN NEWS PAPER JANWART UP TO FEBRUARY ON 2022
By;
TESEMA M ABATE

A research proposal submitted to department of journalism and mass communication Haramaya

University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Bachelor of Arts degree in
journalism and mass communication

Advisor;
MERON A

Haramaya Ethiopia
April 2022

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Almighty God who offers
me health, longevity, endurance and wisdom to complete this study and other works. Next to God,
I would like to extend my deep gratitude thanks to my mom Fantu Hawaz without you all things
that i get is not impossible thanks mom
And my advisor Meron Abebe your enthusiasm and professional expertise have provided
tremendous guidance throughout carrying out my research. your support has been a blessing to
me. All Mekelle university journals and communication teachers, staff and Tigrayan friends who
support me on that bad time
Lastly my family and best friend’s encouragement and professional insight has inspired me both
my personal and professional development.
Finally, I would next like to express my gratefulness to Haramaya University for its academic
support.

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to assess the news content analysis of the front page in the Addis
zemen newspaper. It also tries to assess the most loved news by the publics or readership used in
the front page of the newspaper and the criteria of selected a front page news of the Addis zemen
newspaper. To accomplish this purpose, the study employed a qualitative research method. The
instrument of data collection was obtained through primary and secondary sources. In analyzing
the data thematic narration was used and the result of the study reveal that, the selection of news
was based on the news with strong feeling or attention to the publics or readership of the
newspaper. The news that appears on the front page of the Addis zemen newspaper was divided in
to three. i.e., development news; which included politic, social and cultures news; business news
and sport news.

ACKNOROMYACRONOMY
ENA ETHIOPIAN NEWS AGENCY
EPA ETHIOPIAN PRESS AGENCY
 CHAPTER ONE
1.1. INTRODUCTION
Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master from or template. The
earliest non paper products involving printing includes cylinder seals and objects such as the
Cyrus Cylinder of Nabonidus. The earliest known form of printing as applied to paper was wood
block printing, which appeared in China before 220 AD for cloth printing. However, it would not
be applied to paper until the seventh century. Later developments in printing technology include
the movable type invented by BI SHENG around 1040AD and the printing press invented by
JOHANNES GUTENBERG in the 15th century. The technology of printing played a key role in
the development of renaissance and the scientific revolution and laid the material basis for the
modern knowledge based economy and the spread of learning the masses
(https://www.pixartprinting.co.uk)
The global spread of the printing press began with the invention of printing press with movable
type by Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz Germany in 1439. Western printing technology was adopted
in all world regions by the end of the 19th century, displacing the manuscript and block printing
The origin of the printed fabric and its popularity in Africa date back to the mid of 1800 when a
Dutch company now named VLISCO, traded in west Africa coastal towns. In the second half of
the 19th century, fueled by the industrial revolution and colonial expansion, new markets opened
in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) as well as Africa. (Vibrant Africa Wax Prints and Their
Unique Stories)
Ethiopia`s first printing press in its history was established in the mid-1920s, berhanena selam
printing press (light and peace), almost monopoly institution run by the government. The printing
press played significant role in the publication of two national weekly newspapers, Addis zemen
(new era) in Amharic (1941), and its English counterpart the Ethiopia herald in (1943). These two
served as the main official press organs of the state and as the main source of information for
literate people Bahru 2002).
The Addis zemen newspaper was intended to serve the state as the way to give information and
propaganda for citizens. This newspaper usually carries the Amharic version of the newspaper.
This print media was controlled by the government, subjected to official censorship. Articles that
appeared in this government controlled newspapers were usually full of exaggerations of activities
of the emperor in internal and international affairs. It`s articles is a historical articles because this
article were devoted to capitalize the emperor`s effort to establish a personal favor and a national
feeling in the mind of people and the international communitys (ibid).
On the other hand, what dominate the history of Ethiopia in the 20th century have been the
history of emperor Haile Selassie I and his efforts to centralize power, legitimize his power and
get popularity. On these conditions, the period that followed the end of the Second World War was
important for Ethiopia. There many sweeping changes in the political life of the country. After the
return of the Emperor Haile Selassie I to Ethiopia from exile (England), there were many changes
introduced in an effort to strength the central government and modernization. However, much
what has been said in many of the government media was more with propaganda theme than
reality. This was one of the political ways of the time as far as the Imperial throne was concerned.
The objectives of this research proposal is to show the news contents and give analysis of selected
articles in the Ethiopian Addis zemen newspaper with political and historical themes with
propaganda orientations from 1941. But recently, Ethiopian Addis zemen newspaper offer daily
local news and also offers national and international news as well as weather, sports, lifestyle,
entertainment, business, politics, movies, travel, education and many more. This newspapers
includes classified for; jobs, cars, real estate, and announcements like; celebrations and obituaries
(Bahru 2002).
1.2. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Accordingly, communication scholars have researched newspaper front pages for decades and
continue to do so. Many have studied the production process of the newspaper front page.
Newsroom anthropologists have closely explored the social, cultural, political, economic, and
interpersonal forces that shape editorial decision making and front-page prioritization (Broder,
2000; Forrest, 1934; Gans, 1979).

Given the influence of print newspaper coverage on the overall news agenda, newspaper editors,
not surprisingly, spend a great deal of time and energy deciding what stories to place on the front
pages of their print editions (Sumpter, 2000). Editorial conferences that determine front page news
placement are, in effect, a site of gatekeeping in action (Clayman & Reisner, 1998). In other
words, the front page is a highly contested political space. For example, Álvarez-Peralta (2010,
2011) argued that front page
analysis provides a more direct lens on a newspapers editorial line than the newspapers editorials.
He noted that editorials are carefully constructed, public-facing documents that frame the opinions
of the newspaper editors for a critical reading public, whereas analysis of the content and framing
of front page
stories provides access to the papers hidden editorial stance (Álvarez Peralta, 2010).
News content analysis refers to a general set of techniques useful for analysis and understanding
collecting of text, there is which predates internet research by decades. In the news content
analysis of the understanding the impact of digitized collection news, one particularly relevant
types of news content analysis is the analysis of news articles.
These news articles may be about the types of resources in general. Framing is the concept used
in the fields such as media studies to understand and how the public discourse on atopic influences
public opinion, and also further discourse.
Content analysis allows us to better understand how topics are being discussed in any things, such
things as the news media. It also refers more generally, to a set method for coding, categorizing,
and analyzing bodies of text. (Berelso, b 1971).
The front page of newspaper is the face of a newspaper. Front page is normally read first by the
readers.it draws the attention of the readers. Newspaper also design their front pages attractively.
(http://www.owlgen.in)
 The front pages of newspapers are the largest topic group on cable news and hold true even
though the amounts vary across the range of programs types. News is the process of planning,
gathering, producing, and communicating news content (palmer 2008). While this is primarily an
editorial process these days, it is sophisticated technical appliances and systems. Content analysis
is a simple, effective means of measuring change. In facts, the fundamental is so simple.
Comparing what you to your goal and your audience, some editors look it in search of more
sophisticated solution.
The objective of qualitative content analysis can be all sort of Recorded communication
(transcripts of interview, discourse, protocol of observations, video tape and documents). Content
analysis analyze not only the manifest content of the materials as it name may suggest, but also
have differentiated level of content. Content analysis can be both quantitative (focused on
counting and measuring) and qualitative (focused on interpretation and understanding)
The description of qualitative content analysis offers one approach that shows how the general
principles of method can be used (https://www.scribbr.com)
Agenda setting theory is developed by two journalism professors max well M.C. combs and
Donald show they believe that the mass media have the ability to transfer the salience of items on
their news agendas to the public agenda the main assumption for this theory is that "we judge as
important what the media judge as important Pulitzer prize winning anther Walter Lippmann
claimed that the media act as a mediator between the world outside and the picture in our heads.
university of Wisconsin political scientists Bernard Cohen says this about the media as he
observed concerning the specific functions the media serve the press may not be successful in
telling people what to think but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think
about( bran and Davis 2010;298)
This impact of mass media the ability to effect cognitive change among individuals, to structure
their thinking has been labeled the agenda setting function of mass communication.
Most important effect of mass communication is ability to mentally order and organize our world
for us.
The mass media may not be successful in telling us what to think, but they are stunningly
successful in telling us what to think about.(McCombs and Shaw)
The common assumption of agenda setting is that the ability of the media to influence the
visibility of events in the public mind has been a part of culture for almost half a century.
Therefore the concept of agenda setting in our society is for the press to selective choose what we
see or hear in the media.
Addis zemen newspaper is established in 1941.the name of the paper refers to the liberation of
Ethiopia from Italian colonial rule its first editor in chief was made Mikael Desalegn on 5 may
1946.The paper became a broadsheet publication and later a daily newspaper it is based in Addis
Ababa and is currently published by the Ethiopian press agency.
Addis zemen newspaper offers daily local news from Addis Ababa and it is focused on Amharic
version in national and international news. (Www .Addis zemen newspaper .com)
1.3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The front page is the most important page of newspaper. the first page of newspaper includes the
title, all the publication, the index, and the main story that will capture the most attention. The
major story of the day will be placed in the most prominent position on the front page and will
contain a large, bold faced headline.
It is what passer-by well have chance to look at, and so it represents the show case that might
determine whether or not they will end up in buying the newspaper. Thus the stories of front page
are carefully selected to catch the attention if a large number of potential readers. The front page is
what will draw your readers to pick up your newspaper. It can help validate all the work that you
do as a journalist. (Kovach, B 2001)
The front page of newspaper have several advantages for example offering full stories attracting
readers potential and so on are few of them even the design of the front page that published at
each day should be similar,(carter p 2000) but In Addis zemen newspaper front page has not all
the above advantages in each day. Means that are flexible on offering full stories, attracting the
potential of reader and front page design.
Entman (1993) stated that content analysis has the majority task of determining textual meaning
and the identity of frames in the media. He warns that coders need to be aware of drawing
conclusion about dominant meanings. Proper coding instruction and agreement can result in valid
results about issue and the frames that are being portrayed in the media.
The researcher believed that only problem cannot be steeping points from for a study but also
observation and sake of filling the gaps in the literature.
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of the study will be divided in to two this includes, general and specific objectives.
1.4.1. GENERAL OBJECTIVE
The general objective of the study will be to analyses the content of Addis zemen newspaper front
page.
1.3.2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1- To assess the content of the news of front page in Addis zemen newspaper.
2- To identify the types of news that gives emphasized in the front page.
3- Assess the quality of the front pages News of Addis zemen newspaper based on news elements.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION
1 What is the content of the news of Addis zemen newspaper?
2 To what extent did Addis zemen newspaper provides good news content on their front page
based on news elements?
3 What types of news that gives emphasized in the front page?
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The Scope of research will be based on the Addis zemen newspaper January and February (2022)
only because inclusion of another study or other newspaper the research is difficult for researcher
to get enough information for this reason the researcher is based only on Addis zemen newspaper.
The researcher is selecting the front page only because the front page is important page on the
newspaper.

1.7. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUY

The Significance of this researcher will finding significant to the Addis zemen newspaper to
improve the news content of front pages services. It will serve the stepping stone document for
journalism and mass communication student. This research will come up with suggestion giving
news content analysis of the front pages services lesson in Addis zemen newspaper. It will fill
literature gaps
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The limitation of the study here is lack of information and problem of time, access matrerial to get
available information. Another limitation of the study is about the time the time is very limitation
to work on the research and the limitation and most to the other limitation of the study is get the
edition of Addis zemen newspaper and the last problem financial problem to interview the editor
in face to face.

1.8 Organization of the study

chapter one includes introduction ,Back ground of the study, Statement of the problem ,objective
of the study Research question, Scop of the study and organization of the study in Chapter Two
Review Literature in chapter three Research Desine in next chapter Four Data collection and
presentation in last chapter Five summery conclusion and recommendation then reference

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW LITERATURE
2.1 DEFINITIONS OF NEWSPAPER
Newspaper is a publication that is issued daily or weekly and including local and international
news stories, advertisement, announcement, opinions, cartoons, sports news and television
listings. It is an important method of letting the public knows everything that is happening in their
local area and around the world. Even with the advancement in computer technology, newspapers
continue to be an important aspect of an everyday life. (Library of congress, 2002).it is important
to know the sections of the newspaper and what information each one contains. The front page has
the most important stories of the day each story has its own headline and a by line giving the name
of the reporter who wrote the story.
2.1.1 CHARACTERSTICS OF NEWS PAPER
Primarily newspapers are print media even through digital age offers online newspaper and
newspaper. That is why it has all the futures that any print media has major futures of mass media
are given. (Library of congress, 2002 edition, updated 2006)
Predominant of news oriented content- there are three types of content in newspaper news. View
and advertisement of the news overshadows the other because newspapers are primarily meant for
dissemination of news.
Regular periodicity- newspaper may be published daily or weekly. Periodicity may vary but,
regularity should be kept. Every newspaper keeps a particular in publication.
Future reference facility-being a print medium newspaper can be kept for future use. This
achieving ability makes newspaper one of the main sources of historical research.
Choice of the time of use- unlike television and radio, we can read newspaper at any time. Some
read in the morning while others in the evening after work. this increase the popularity of
newspapers.
literates medium unlike television and radio, newspaper demands literacy from the part of the
audience.
Law cost- compared to other media, newspaper is a cost effective medium. Anybody can afford a
newspaper as it needs no hidden changes or other accessories. Electronic media requires power
supply and the new media need digital technology.
Multiple users- many readers can read a copy of the newspaper simultaneously or separately.
Textual medium- text is the soul of newspaper though they carry images and graphics. (Library of
congress 2002 edition, updated to 2006)

2.2 DEFINITION OF CONTENT ANALYSIS

Content analysis is a research tool used to determine the presence of certain words or concepts
within texts or sets of texts. Researchers quantify and analyze the presence, meanings and
relationships of such words and concepts, then make inferences about the messages within the
texts, the writer, the audience, and even the culture and time of which these are a part. Texts can be
defined broadly as books, book chapters, essays, interviews, discussions, newspaper headlines and
articles, historical documents, speeches, conversations, advertising, theater, informal conversation,
or really any occurrence of communicative language. Texts in a single study may also represent a
variety of different types of occurrences, such as (Palm Quists 1990) study of two composition
classes, in which he analyzed student and teacher interviews, writing journals, classroom
discussions and lectures, and out-of-class interaction sheets. To conduct a content analysis on any
such text, the text is coded or broken down, into manageable categories on a variety of levels
word, word sense, phrase, sentence, or theme and then examined using one of content analysis'
basic methods: conceptual analysis or relational analysis. Historically, content analysis was a time
consuming process.
Content Analysis was done manually, or slow mainframe computers were used to analyze punch
cards containing data punched in by human coders. Single studies could employ thousands of
these cards. Human error and time constraints made this method impractical for large texts.
However, despite its impracticality, content analysis was already an often utilized research method
by the 1990's. Although initially limited to studies that examined texts for the frequency of the
occurrence of identified terms (word counts), by the mid-1990's researchers were already starting
to consider the need for more sophisticated methods of analysis, focusing on concepts rather than
simply words, and on semantic relationships rather than just presence (de Sola Pool 1959). While
both traditions still continue today, content analysis now is also utilized to explore mental models,
and their linguistic, affective, cognitive, social, cultural and historical significance.
2.2.1THE ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGES OF CONTENT
ANALYSIS
Content analysis is the ways news is presented to the publics in meaningful way. News of the
content analysis differed in to two; the content analysis merit and demerit are as follows.
2.2.1.1 THE ADVANTAGE OF CONTENT ANALYSIS
Content analysis offers several advantages to researchers who consider using it. In particular,
content analysis:
Looks directly at communication via texts or transcripts, and hence gets at the central aspect of
social interaction
Can allow for both quantitative and qualitative operations
Can provides valuable historical/cultural insights over time through analysis of texts allow which
can alternate between specific categories and relationships and also statistically analyzes the coded
form of the text
Can be used to interpret texts for purposes such as the development of expert systems (since
knowledge) and rules can both be coded in terms of explicit statements about the relationships
among concepts is an unobtrusive means of analyzing interaction.
2.2.1.2 DISADVANTAGE OF CONTENT ANALYSIS
Content analysis is time intensive. Manually coding large quantities of content is extremely time
consuming and it can be difficult to automate or computerize effectively. It is liable to increased
mistakes, mainly when the relational analysis is used to attain a higher level of understanding
(https://www.marketing)

2.3 content of Newspaper

1Political issue
Political journalism is a broad branch of journalism that includes coverage of all aspects of politics
and political science, although the term usually refers specifically to coverage of civil
governments and political power

2Social issue
Is the occurrence of online news mixed with a form of social interaction, and is entirely reliant on
social media websites. It can include sharing, voting, or user input, and what is presented depends
on recorded trends relating to how users interacted with similar content in the past.

3Economic issue
Concerned with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It studies
how individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make choices about how to allocate
resources. Economics focuses on the actions of human beings, based on assumptions that humans
act with rational behavior, seeking the most optimal level of benefit or utility. The building blocks
of economics are the studies of labor and trade. Since there are many possible applications of
human labor and many different ways to acquire resources, it is the task of economics to
determine which methods yield the best results.

4Sport and entertainment

a form of writing that reports on matters pertaining to sporting topics and competitions. Sports
journalism started in the early 1800s when it was targeted to the social elite and transitioned into
an integral part of the news business with newspapers having dedicated sports sections.

5Advertising An advertisement (often shortened to advert or ad)

Is the promotion of a product, brand or service to a viewership in order to attract interest,
engagement and sales. Advertisements come in many forms, from copy to interactive , and have
evolved to become a crucial feature of the app marketplace.(https://www.adjust.com › glossary)

2.4 Front page

The first page of a newspaper includes the title, all the publication information, the index, and the
main stories that will capture the most attention. The major story of the day will be placed in the
most prominent position on the front page and will contain a large, bold-faced
headline.(https://www.thoughtco.com )
Communication scholars have researched newspaper front pages for decades and continue to do
so. Many have studied the production process of the newspaper front page. Newsroom
anthropologists have closely explored the social, cultural, political, economic, and interpersonal
forces that shape editorial decision making and front-page prioritization (Broder, 2000; Forrest,
1934; Gans, 1979).
Given the influence of print newspaper coverage on the overall news agenda, newspaper editors,
not surprisingly, spend a great deal of time and energy deciding what stories to place on the front
pages of their print editions (Sumpter, 2000). Editorial conferences that determine front page news
placement are, in effect, a site of “gatekeeping in action” (Clayman & Reisner, 1998). In other
words, the front page is a highly contested political space. For example, Álvarez-Peralta (2010,
2011) argued that front page analysis provides a more direct lens on a newspaper’s editorial line
than the newspaper’s editorials. He noted that editorials are carefully constructed, public-facing
documents that frame the opinions of the newspaper editors for a critical reading public, whereas
analysis of the content and framing of front page stories provides access to the paper’s
“hidden” editorial stance (Álvarez Peralta, 2010)

2.5 HISTORY OF ADDIS ZEMEN NEWSPAPER

The Ethiopian Addis zemen newspaper is established in 1941. As it established played significant
roles in reflecting the images of the country for the readers. The paper had served the citizen
readerships as the source of information regarding the socio-economic and political situations of
the country since it was established. Apart from the news and opinions published daily, The
Ethiopian Addis zemen newspaper covers a wide range of politics and social issues using different
columns and pages. Now a day in Ethiopia in which political issues of the country are entertained,
Arts and Cultures for arts as well as cultural issues of the people Society, the battle against covid
19, Sports, Investment and Tourism, Just a few Points (which entertains jokes and quotations), and
Economy and Development are the weekly pages and columns currently appear in The Ethiopian
Addis zemen newspaper. Newspaper is responsible for the public welfare, that its readers are
entitled to sincerity and impartiality in news presentation, and that the principals in news stories
are entitled to fair play, [which is] not only good taste, but the best preventive for libel suits
(Radder, 1942: 83). However, the reality with The Ethiopian Addis zemen newspaper is the
opposite. The data collected through content analysis, as well as secondary sources evince that
unfairness, lack of independence and censorship have been reflected as major ethical problems in
reporting news examined for the study. Addis zemen newspaper is the sole state owned newspaper
which was launched in 1941. It is among four state papers that are published under Ethiopian
press agency (EPA). The Addis zemen newspaper, which is published every day, entertains home
and world news including various social-economic and political issues in daily as well as weekly
columns and pages. Most of the local news stories published in the paper are dispatched by two
government, Ethiopian news agency (ENA), and party news agencies. A very limited number of
news items is written by staff reporters. As the staff reporters are too little to cover all daily events,
the paper is highly dependent on the above mentioned state news agencies as its major news
sources.
Editorial meetings that are conducted two times a day are most important in determining the day
to day activities of the paper. These meetings attended by editors-in-chief and chaired by a
department head, who is the second top official of the agency, Ethiopian press agency (EPA), next
to the general manager. Various issues that should receive coverage by the paper get their final
decisions at these meetings. Every conference participant receives copies that carry tip off (List
that indicates events to be covered by the media). Theses copies are distributed to every
conference participant ahead of the meetings. Most of the time tip sent from Ethiopian news
agency.
By reading the lists one by one the conference participants, mostly editors-in-chief, discuss which
of the four papers including the English Daily, Ethiopian herald the weeklies and Al-Alem should
cover which events. The editor-in-chief of the paper will assign a reporter. It is in this way events
get coverage in the national Amharic daily.
2.6. DEFINITION OF NEWS
News is a report of a current event. It is information about something that has just happened soon.
News is a report about recent happening in a newspaper, television, radio or internet. News is
something that is not known earlier.
News is information that is published in newspaper and broadcast on radio and television about
recent events in the country or world or in a particular area of activity
(http://www.collisdictionary.com)
News is information about events, people, or issues that the public wants to know. According
to the Missouri group (2005) all information is not news but all news is information. So to judge
whether something is news it must be determined whether it is news worthy. They (Missouri
group) also put the criteria whether something is news or not by staffing the criteria that a
professional reports and editors use to decide what type of news can be summarized by its
relevance, usefulness, and interest are the broad guide line for judging the news value of any
events, issues or personality. Those criteria apply generally but each journalist and each news
organization use them in specific context that gives them particular meaning.
Different source also assured that those (the above mentioned elements which are mentioned by
Levin. M) And the elements of news helps to decide whether a story is news worthy or not.
Generally according to numerous sources the researcher understands the more news worthy its
bound to be.
2.6.1 Element of News
-TIMELINESS
-PROXIMITY
-IMPACT
-PROMINANCE
-ODDITY
-RELEVANCE
-CONFLICT

2.6.2 Characteristics of News

The major characteristics of news are:
Accuracy of News
Accuracy is the condition or quality of being true, correct, or exact free from error or defect
precision or exactness, correctness (http://www.dictionary.com)
The accuracy of news is in fact taken for granted by the news consumers. It is very difficult to be
accurate in news. Readers should have a feeling that whatever they are being presented is the
overcome of an honest and dedicated effort of the writer. The readers should never be given an
opportunity to say that they never believed what appeared in the papers. All facts given in the
news item should be accepted by readers without questions. What factual accuracy really means is
that every statement in news items every name and date and age, quotation every definite word or
expression or sentence must be precise and presentation of the true facts. Accuracy means
correctness not merely in general impression but also in details, hastily accuracy is to a newspaper
what virtue is to a lady.
News should be balanced
News balance is the fact and information is included in the story, it is probably balanced and it
does not focus on one side. Instead, it covers all sides of an issue as fairly as possible
(https://www.quora.com)
News is to be balanced though it is not an easy task to write news which is balanced in every
respects, a severe effort must be made by a reporter to render the account of any event in the best
possible manners. The reporter has to write all the specific facts correctly, fairly and accurately
and objectively. He has to put all the facts together in a manner that his report conveys the correct
and factual impression. He has to give a fair picture of the event as it takes place. In order to be
fair both to the audience and about the gentleman about whom news is given it is necessary that
the news is balanced in content and meaning. News should be balanced in the matter of emphasis
and complements. As a reporter he must constantly strive to give each fact its proper emphasis and
to put it in proper relation to every other fact and to give those facts the relative importance to the
meaning of the story as a whole. A reporter has to narrate every last circumstance of the story in
pause taking details. A reporter has to select and arrange facts in a manner so as to give a balanced
view of the whole situation.
Objectives
Objective reporting is mean to portray issues and events in a neutral and unbiased manner,
regardless of the writer opinion or personal beliefs News is a factual report of an event as it
occurred. It is not the event as a prejudiced eye might see it or as the reporter might wish it to be
or have thought it to be on those concerned in the event might like to present it. Facts must be
reported impartially as they occurred.
Objectivity in the news is one of the most important principles of modern journalism. It means
that the news covers to the consumer intimated without any personal bias or any outside influence
that would make it appear anything but what it is. News is unavoidable. News should be presented
without a shade. A reporter should not look at events through glosses either raised colored or
smote. News is to be presented in full light of impartial .and scrupulously honest observation.
Objectivity is essential because only pure news can give the consumer confidence since people
form their opinions on the basis of news items it is all the more necessary that it should be
objective in all manners.
News should be concise and clear
News must follow the news form developed over a period of many years. It must be unite,
concise, clear and simple. A story that is diffused, disorganized and ambiguous in meaning does
not have the characteristic quality of news. It should be well-paced, unified and abuse all written
so clearly that the meaning of the story is also absolutely plain.
Current (Elements of Time in News)
The definition of news remains incomplete if element of time is not given major consideration.
Time is the essence of the news. Emphasis is on the time element of news story, this is necessary
because of the changes which may occur in the transitory period. Things are always changing and
the news consumers want the most recent information on subjects of concerns or interest to them.
In the present circumstances the news development might undergo a rapid change. The events
occurring in the morning may completely outdate or upset east might facts. Most news are labeled
"todays" or at the most distant, last night. The news media are specific about time. They tell the
readers that the news is not only recent but truly the last word on the subject. The news media has
developed great speed in news media has developed great speed in news handling in order to able
to report events while they are still new. The reader is interested in current and new things. A
newsman wins consumers and readers by rendering.
2.6.3. TYPES OF NEWS
To give an impression of the huge differences in definitions we want to give two examples. In the
paper book to their internationally comparative study of news, (Shoemaker and Cohen (2006))
defined hard and soft news like this:
There are two types of news, these are the following;
2.6.3.1 HARD NEWS
Hard news refers to coverage of breaking events involving top leaders, major issues, or significant
disruptions in the routines of daily life, such as an earthquake or airline disaster. Information about
these events is presumably important to citizens ability to understand and respond to the world of
public affairs. Hard news items are urgent occurrences that have to be reported right away because
they become obsolete very quickly. These items are truly new.
It has significance for relatively large number of reader listener or viewers, this includes news
government, politics foreign affairs, education, religion, economics, courts, and the like. Hard
news despite its importance usually attracts fewer readers, listeners or viewers because it is often
difficult to understand. People need to think about the information presented to comprehend its
significance. As a result, much straight reporting effects for "hard news" has given way to
interpretative reporting in which the reporter explains the significance of facts and often given the
background necessary for people to understand what they read, see or hear. Often a story
combines the elements of "hard" and "soft" news.
2.6.3.2. SOFT NEWS
Soft news has been described as news that typically is more personality-centered, less time-bound,
more practical, and more incident based than other news. Finally, soft news has been described as
a change in the vocabulary of news. The news is said to have become more personal and familiar
in its form of presentation and less distant and institutional. Soft news items are usually based on
nonscheduled events. The reporter or media organization is under no pressure to publish the news
at a certain date or time, soft news stories need not be timely.
These news usually less important but often attracts more audience. Human interest stories of
crime and comedy appeal more to emotions than to intellect. It entertain readers and it may be a
gossip about celebrities, technology etc.

2.7THEORETICAL FRAME WORK

2.7.1 AGENDA SETTING THEORY

The agenda-setting theory emphasizes that the mass media play a significant role in the
construction of our perceptions of reality. Particularly when media texts maintain relevance to the
needs and experiences of an individual or the society at large, the salience of the media agenda
become important among the public.
"Agenda Setting", as a theory, was forwarded by McCombs and Shaw in 1972 to describe
a phenomenon which has long been noticed and studied in the context of election campaigns
(McQuail, 2005:512). The core idea, according to McQuail (ibid) is that the news media indicate
to the public what the main issues of the day are and this is reflected in what the public perceives
as the main issues. For McCombs (2004:82), it is indeed true that “through their day-to-day
selection and display of the news, news editors and directors focus our attention and influence our
perceptions of what are the most important issues of the day.” He further states:
The public uses the salience cues from the media to organize their own agendas and decide which
issues are most important. Over time, the issues emphasized in news reports become the issues
regarded as most important among the public. The agenda of the news media becomes, to a
considerable degree, the agenda of the public. In other words, the news media set the public
agenda. Establishing this salience among the public, placing an issue or topic on the public agenda
so that it becomes the focus of public attention and thought and, possibly action is the initial stage
in the formation of public opinion (ibid:2).

The agenda-setting theory does not always claim a direct effect of mass media messages on the
public agenda as though other factors would not contribute to influencing perception and attitude.
Instead, it “assigns a central role to the news media in initiating items for the public agenda”
and media messages become influential in as much as they are compatible “with an individual‟s
existing attitudes and opinions” (McCombs, 2004:68). While it is difficult to use the
agenda-setting theory for finding evidence for claims of ultimate influence of the media agenda on
the public, it still plays a significant role in reflecting on issues that people think about.

CHAPTER THREE
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS METHODS
3.1. RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design is a procedure that a researcher uses for data collection and analysis methods in
order to get a meaningful ways of data collection for research to be clearly studied. The research
design for this study is descriptive approach. The reason of the researcher to use this kind of
research design is the researcher believed that it is better to describe the content analyses of the
Addis zemen newspapers. (M.N mashal 1999 )

3.2. Population of study

The population of the study is the staff of Addis zemen newspaper. Addis zemen newspaper is the
study area that researcher will studies at to get information for the study.

3.3Sample size and sampling technique

This study will analyze the content of front page in the case of Addis zemen newspaper that
published in 2022. from January up to February months. The researcher will selecting the Addis
zemen newspaper staff by purposive sampling techniques for interview. The researcher chooses
purposive method because it helps to identify and focus the appropriate respond. In order to select
the respondent from the target population the researcher will use purposive sampling technique
because the target population of the study are staff of the newspaper Under this method a desired
number of samples unite are selected deliberately or purposely depending up on the object of the
enquiry. So that only the important item representing the true characteristic of the populations are
include the sample. (Levin M 1999)

3.4 Data gathering tools

In this study the researcher will use both primary and secondary data collection method. The
primary data collect through interview and observation. The secondary data are collect through
journals, Addis zemen newspaper and, internets so on respectively.
In order to collect the necessary information for the study the researcher will use primary methods
of data collection. The primary data collections are interview and observation.
3.4.1 Interview
The researcher of this study will use interview as data collection tool in order to gather data from
the respondent because interview is a primary way of data collection by asking questions for the
respondents in face to face interaction. (Myllyahoetal, 2004)
The researcher will asking interview question using purposive sampling techniques. The staff of
Addis zemen newspapers the researcher focus the appropriate respond.
3.4.2 Observation
The researcher will use observation as a data gathering tool for this study because observation is a
preplanned research tool, which is carry out purposefully to serve research questions and
objectives.(Burns, 1999) When using this method, the researcher observes the front page of Addis
zemen newspaper.
3.5 methods of data analyses
The researcher will use qualitative and quantitative method of data analysis after the data is
collect, the data is gathering by using primary and secondary source and interpret qualitatively.
Qualitative researcher is primary research. It is use to gain an understanding reasons, opinion, and
motivation it provides insights in to the problem or helps ideas or hypothesis for potential
researcher.
Qualitative research is also use to uncover tends in thought and opinion, and dive deeper in to the
problem. Qualitative data collection methods vary using unstructured or semi structured
techniques. Some common methods include interview and observation. (Burns, 1999)
The researcher will use qualitative researcher because the researcher will use interview, primary,
secondary source observation in analyses method.
CHAPTER FOUR
4. DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION METHODS
4.1. INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the researcher presented the finding with discussion and presentation gathered
through primary and secondary sources. From the most part, the researcher focus on the what
criteria do Addis zemen newspaper select news items that appear on their newspapers.
Accordingly, the researcher tried to collect the different information by using the previously
mentioned instruments form. The first part of this chapter discuss the criteria of selected the news
items appear on the front page of newspapers and the second part deals with presentation methods
of the study based on the research objectives.

4.2. THE IMPORTANCE OF FRONT PAGE

The front page is the most important page of a newspaper. It is what passer-by will have chance to
look at, and so it represents the show case that might determine whether or not they will end up in
buying the newspaper. Thus, the stories of front page are carefully selected to catch the attention
of a large number of potential readers. Every day, newspaper editors meet and discuss to choose
what they believe are the news worthiest stories of the day, the motivation of my study is to
analyze how the selection of front page stories matches the interest of the crowd, as well as how
front page would look like if they were defined by the crowd. With this motivation, Researcher
analyze the front page of Addis zemen newspaper and compare to the top stories of each day
(January and February). The Addis zemen newspaper the stories that constitute each day`s
newspaper with headlines and pointer to all the stories both in front page and inside. We looked at
the popularity of these stories on newspaper, to analyze the extent to which the stories selected for
the front page each day match with those attract most attention on newspaper.

4.3. THE FRONT PAGE DESIGN

The front page is what will draw your readers to pick up your newspaper. It can help validate all
the work that you do as a journalist. If no one is reading your paper your work is in vain.
Mastering design skills as well as quality writing is key in this career field It’s also key for you
-- you will get a lot of satisfaction when you see your troops reading your work and gaining
valuable information.

4.4. WHAT IS THE CRITERIA TO SELECT NEWS ITEMS OF FRONT PAGE OF

YOUR NEWSPAPERS?
To begin with, it was one of the major purposes of the study to find out the news items of the
newspapers. The main purpose of this was to assess the criteria to select the news or the news
content analysis of the front page of Ethiopian Addis zemen newspapers.

News types Numbers of news percentage

Political news 15 62.5%
Social news 8 33.3%
Business news 1 4.2%
total 24 100%

Source: - own survey result

Table. 1: characteristics of the news
As shown in the above table, the respondent (Wondesen Shimels editor-in-chief of theAddiszemen
newspaper) has said that, the news items that we are selected in the front page of our newspapers
are always national news that should be of high interest or hot issue. He also adds that we received
news of foreign either through phone call and published to read by our audiences. As you see in
the above table the news we always put on the front page is Political news which is 15 and, social
news are 8 and 1 are Business news.
The editor-in-chief of the newspapers says that we publish national news like politic which could
touch or do strongly catch the attention of the readerships. But if the newspaper is about
entertainment then the news on the front page should be of entertainment of course. Therefore,
the front page of our newspaper or Ethiopian Addis zemen newspaper focused most on the know
political news, which counts15 out of 26 news, the second one is Social news which counts 8 out
of 26 news, and the last one is Business of 1 news out of 26 news.

4.5. HAVE YOU DONE A RESEARCH ON YOUR AUDIENCE SATISFACTION?

We have a direct experience in publishing our news and since the beginning of my leadership of
recent now, said by Wondesen Shimls Editor –in –chief; we have never done any research on
our audiences satisfaction. There have been a number of several researches done by school of
journalism and communication students and teachers about our newspaper and one research was
done by the ENA about our audience to have a clear understanding of our front page of our
newspaper.
According to Wondesen Shimls Editor –in –chief of the Addis zemen newspaper since we have
not done a research on our audience satisfaction. Our audience satisfaction could depend on the
time and situation the news is published with and still yet no one contact us about our issue of our
audience satisfaction,

4.6. CAN YOU TELL ME THE NEWS LOVED MOST BY THE PUBLICS OR READERSHIP
USED IN THE FRONT PAGE OF YOUR NEWSPAPER?
This question is similar to the above one, since we did not done any research on our audience
satisfaction still we have not valued the news they are loved most. The news loved most by the
readership or publics should be news with high interest to them and with strong attention to the
reader. Since we published national news mostly, we know all our audience should be highly
interested in the newspaper or Addis zemen as we focus on National news such as development
news and business news mostly on the front page of our newspaper, we hope they love our
published news.
Know that every news of strong issue may be loved most by any one, people want something
unusual, different and interested, all this may depends on the society`s will for which the
newspaper is published.
Therefore, if the respective community is concerned in entertainment, then the news on the front
page should be of entertainment. It can also depend on the time and the situation. For example, if
the news is an economic inflation like know that occurs currently in the country, newspapers must
publish their newspaper with front page news of economy.

4.7 Observation of Addiszemen newspaper front page

During the time of observation on front page of Addiszemen newspaper which published from
January up to February the researcher observed as the below stated.
At the top of the newspaper front page there are three boxes from this the two box have the same
size, breadth with the same size, the purpose of these box is for advertisement always their size
and breadth is constant or inflexible.
At the middle of those two boxes this is another box which differs from those I have mentioned on
the above and purpose. The size of this box is relatively largest than from the rest two box. Also
this box has same times publish with slogan of the newspaper the purpose of this box is that the
name of the newspaper is placed.
Generally at the top of the newspaper front page there are three boxes those boxes are used for
advertisement the name of the newspaper (Addis zemen) and for advertisement again the total area
of the top front page of the newspaper.
At the middle of the newspaper it have flexible design because the researcher observed that those
newspaper published during the given months where have different in size of photo and placement
and the contents sometimes the issues or the stories that put in this place are in detailed explained
with small size of photos which believed that the story is urgent issue and also sometime this place
is covered by photo only which is large in size in addition to this at the right side of middle of the
newspaper of front page has a place which is sometimes used for advertising and short stories.
At general at the middle of the newspaper there are three places those places are a place for photo,
detail stories and advertisements.
At the bottom of the newspaper front page during observation time the researcher observed that
the bottom of the newspaper front page is a place for advertisement in all daily publication of on
the given month that the bottom of the newspaper front page is advertisement.

CHAPTER FIVE
5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1. SUMMARY
The purpose of this study was to assess the news contents analysis of the front pages, in the Addis
zemen newspaper. This part of the study tries to summarize the keys finding which are drawn from
the study. In this chapter, the researcher basically tries to sum up what the researcher has been
talking about, how it was taken and the finding and the recommendation of the study.
As pointed out earlier in chapter one of the study, the study aimed to assess the news content
analysis of the front page of the Addis zemen newspaper. To this end, the data which are more
fundamental were gathered through phone interview and observation. Then, the data obtained
from interview and observation had been integrated and analyzed together for qualitative thematic
analysis of the study.
Lastly, the following summary, conclusion and recommendation have been made on the objectives
of the study.
The main objectives of the study, was to assess the news content analysis of front page in the
Addis zemen newspaper.
Based on the phone interview, response about the news on the front page of the newspaper was
conductively environment of editor- in-chief. The editor also says that the selection of the front
page was highly strong to the audience when the news published on the front page has highly
interesting them.
Finally, the editor-in-chief in the interview indicated that news in the front they published most is
the Political news, the second one is Social news followed by the Business news.
Furthermore, the data which were collected through interview question were interpreted and
presented by discussion.
5.2. CONCUSION
Based on the finding the following conclusion can be drawn:
In general from result obtained, it can be concluded that the challenges that make news content
analysis of the front page in the Addis zemen newspaper have problem of assessing the research
on the audience satisfaction.
The news on the front page of the newspaper or the Addis zemen was faced ethical problem on
published the front page news as the paper has faced problem of independence.
What was observed from news content analysis of the front page of Addis zemen newspaper, there
was a challenge in the work of the editor as they have not done the research on the audience’s
satisfaction of the front page.
The front page of the newspapers was based on the news selected by the publisher and because of
that the news content analysis of the front page in the Addis zemen newspaper need to manage the
problem of knowing how their news are mostly loved or not by the readership and publics.

5.3. RECOMMENDATION
Based on the finding of the study the following recommendations were forwarded:
The Addis zemen newspaper need to have good knowledge on the audience satisfaction of the
news on the front page as well as the criteria of selected the news of the front page of the
newspaper need good care of the editor-in-chief.
To manage the challenge of the audience, the researcher suggested that the news loved most by the
audience or the reader of the papers, should greater interest to the publics as the news appears on
the front page should be national news not international or foreign news.
The news that attract the attention of the publics is the nearby news rather than international
news.
Therefore, the news on the front page should mostly be focused on the national news like
political, social and economic rather than foreign news.
The researcher found that the news selection of the front page of newspaper were published by
editor- in-chief and was good because they expressed the interest of the readership or audience.
It`s good for newspaper teamwork to conduct a research on their audience satisfaction and balance
the interest of the reader to the newspapers.