June 16, 2007
Journalistic nirvana achieved
Most journalists struggle for decades to achieve the balance and even-handedness that their profession demands. Now, after less than three years in Ethiopia, I can say that I have finally achieved that goal.
My writing is so nuanced that it has actually gone beyond being fair and balanced. It manages to express both sides of the argument at the same time. I am pro and anti Meles, pro and anti CUD, pro and anti Ethiopia all at the same time. You doubt me? Check out the endorsements of my happy readers:
This Andrew Heavens fella doesn't stop to amaze me. The topics he raises in his blog are mostly silly. He tries too hard to give the government of Meles the image of a good and stabilized government while he knows full well that the reality is otherwise.
Andrew, May be you, your wife and your anti-EPRDF buddies may not be excited about the new millennium, but Ethiopians all over the world are ready to usher in the new Ethiopian millennium in a festive mood. [For the few who don't know, the EPRDF = "the government of Meles".]
Comment under Bored of the Millennium
Now that Anthony Mitchell is dead, Andrew has stepped up to fill the gap. He's been given the mission of portraying Ethiopia in bad light. It is a disgrace.Comment under the African Path version of Bored of the Millennium
Meanwhile, the blog also manages to be overly neutral, innocuous, moderate and sweet. How do I do it?
Posted by aheavens at June 16, 2007 5:44 AM
Comments
i wish i can agree with you. but you are neutral only when nothing significant is happening in ethiopia and thus you pick one topic then talk about it without putting much politics in it. so it is hard for you to offend either side and might seem neutral, in those cases.
But whenever some disaster, like the Ogaden massacre or election riot, happens you are completely bias my brother. one time on REUTERS you almost sounded like the ONLF chairman for your article was completely excusing their massacre, in so many angelization of the terrorist group, that i couldn't bear to read it further. i was wondering if he got his info from the ogaden.com propaganda website sponsored by Libya famous center.
And then ofcourse the election disaster showed more of your abilities. i thought you were one of the washingtonpost writers that are buddiest with lunatic ethiopian convicts like elias kifle. (he actually hangs out with some of them i heard) i have to say the hailu shawel amazing set up was just a master plan, particularly with the Diaspora ethio network of misinformation, which is by the way THE source for western journalist. i am still wondering how he pulled it off to tarnish the image of meles.when i remember the "elias kifle-american journalist network",i was wondering if andrew was in it too. anyway, it takes major events like that to evaluate yourself. Let us hope the OLF-ONLF-Shabya terrorist alliance don't have another bloody plot to help you test your journalism skills.
Posted by: ethio at June 16, 2007 3:21 PM
I`m sure, Andrew. You are in the right way. You know like a jornalist (me, too) that whem the criticism came from all the side, meens we are in good sense. Congratulations
Posted by: Carlos at June 17, 2007 1:22 PM
hat are you tring to tell me ?
That all you are writing are all lies , so that your life or income is not in danger ?
Why don´t just work in another country where you think you work has the international acceptance and you can say what you like and enjoy democracy as you are used too.
You come to Ethiopia because there are a lot you can write about , it is a young democracy so alot of happening are around , you don´t have even to go out of your home place you just write what you hause maide tell you .
your Jornalism have a lot of homework , you are only consentrated on sacking the bad happnings and critisize evry movment in a poor country like ethiopia where the ppl. and the government and even the oppsition are trying to work Democracy to achive this and that goal.
And what do you do ? ``CATCH A FIRE`` or make a fire .Which misson are you follwing ?
you are using and enjoing the states you have and write only shit when come back from your week end party under high drug infulance .
and you think you are a good jornalist.
see you with your next ....
regards
Posted by: seyoum at June 17, 2007 2:43 PM