 has suspended the "New Chapter" program on Ethiopian Broadcasting Service (EBS) Television. Read.){kind=link}
By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) has suspended the “New Chapter” program on Ethiopian Broadcasting Service (EBS) Television, effective April 2, 2025, citing violations of media law and ethical journalism standards.
The suspension stems from a March 23rd broadcast featuring Birtukan Temesgen, who claimed she was abducted and raped in 2020 while a university student, resulting in pregnancy and childbirth. The EMA stated the segment contained “false information, misleading content, and elements that could incite public unrest,” violating Media Proclamation 1238/2013 and Proclamation 1185/2012 on hate speech and false information. The EMA also accused EBS of engaging in “para-journalism practices.”
The broadcast sparked widespread outrage, compounded when Dembi Dollo University, mentioned in the report, clarified that Birtukan was not a student there and claimed she admitted to fabricating the story. EBS Television subsequently acknowledged inaccuracies and errors in the report.
Following an investigation, the EMA indefinitely suspended “New Chapter” until EBS reviewed its editorial practices and presented its findings. A formal written warning was also issued to the network.
Birtukan Temesgen and several EBS employees have been detained on suspicion of terrorism in connection with the broadcast. They appeared in court on March 21, 2025, where police were granted 14 additional days to continue their investigation.
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