The Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) in financial and technical support received from Internews has commissioned a new research reviewing the gap between the reformed laws and their implementations in 2021. 

"Despite some positive indications," reads part of the executive summary of the research, "fundamental gains under the media laws are not fully tested. But the law was successful in setting the normative framework for rights enforcement. Specifically, the provisions and standards set by the media law were used by media houses to ascertain their right and advocate for decisions in their favor, as seen in many of the bail litigation during the arrest of journalists and the reversal of the decision of media suspension."

Additionally, the research asserts that the old custom of playing a regulatory role by the Ethiopian Media Authority has continued despite the spirit of prioritizing creating a conducive and enabling environment for the media in the reformed law. 

"The old media law was tilted towards regulation and the new law was crafted with a spirit of creating a conducive environment and enabling the media with reasonable regulation. Many agree however that still now regulation is the main orientation and EMA is still predominantly operating as a regulator. Most of its work is still regulation even if enabling is one of its objectives."

The research report is scheduled for launch on June 30, 2023. You can download and read the full report here: New Media Legislations and their Implementations in Ethiopia: A Review