About Us

 

About US

Addis Standard is a tri-lingual Publication and independent media available in online and print formats. Its website provides public interest contents in English, Afaan Oromoo and Amharic languages.

Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Addis Standard Publications is owned by JAKENN Publishing P.L.C., a legally registered Media Company with the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia under the license number 1552/2003. It is also recognized by and has obtained an Online Media Certificate from Ethiopian Media Authority in accordance with the Ethiopian Media Law, Media Proclamation No. 1238/2021.

It is a tri-lingual independent publication in online and print formats focusing on current socio-political and socio-economic aspects of both domestic and international affairs.

The Editorial Policy of Addis Standard monthly magazine pertains both to the physical magazine and to its online version, referred to as in below as AS Magazine and Web.

JAKENN Publishing P.L.C has been established in Feb. 2011 as designated public forum for its readers to inform and educate as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to its audience.

PART ONE

EDITORIAL DIVISION

Section 1

Censorship/Content Monitoring & conflict of interest 

As is provided by the Freedom of the Press and Information act of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) any of the editorial content of the magazine will not be reviewed or restrained by individuals, government officials or any one for that matter prior to publication or distribution.

However, the editor/s, may – and should coach and discuss content – during the writing process of any material by permanent and freelance staff writers employed by  JAKENN Publishing PLC, the publisher of AS magazine and Web.

Conflict of interest: That at it is, editors, owners or any of the board members are bound by this editorial policy and required not to comment privately – using different channels, personal communications and or public announcements  – on stories being produced by journalists working for JAKENN Publishing PLC. This is in the interest of avoiding undue distress and/or pressure on the ability of individual journalists to independently and freely submit their articles without having been influenced by editors/owners or board members’ political, religious or any affiliation to the topics being reported.

Section 2

Freedom of the Press and the Role of Addis Standard magazine and Web

As it is essential to preserve the freedom of the press in order to preserve a free society,

2.1              AS magazine and Web will serve the best interest of its audience keeping itself free from any commercial obligations distracting from this purpose; this is defined by the editorial board and editors;

2.2              Any decisions affecting the publications on all levels will be made by the editorial board, and the adviser, if any provided by the publishers, is allowed to give legal advice and his/her opinion, but the final decision rests in the hands of the editorial board;

2.3              Only the editorial board may prevent material it judges to be in violation of the editorial policy, from being printed;

2.4              The editor/should vigorously resist all attempts at censorship, particularly pre-publication censorship;

2.5              The editor/s retain the right to publish any and all material attained through an interview by a staff member of the publications staff, holding that the interviewee was made aware that the information could be published in any form at any time;

2.6              All material referenced in this editorial policy are designated public forums;

2.7              Permanent or freelance journalists employed by the publisher of AS magazine and web may use print and electronic media to report news and information, to communicate with other individuals, to ask questions of  and consult with experts and to gather material to meet their news gathering and research needs;

2.8              As magazine and web staff  are protected by and bound to the principles of  the Freedom of the Press and Information act of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE)and other protections and limitations afforded by the Constitution and the various laws and  court decisions  implementing those principles;

2.9              AS media and web will not publish any material determined by  editor/s or when applicable, the editorial board, to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous, obscene, materially disruptive of  the constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), an unwarranted invasion of  privacy, a violation of  copyright  or a  promotion of  products or services unlawful (illegal) as to minors  as defined  regional or  the federal law of the country;

Section 3

The Editorial Board

3.1              The editorial board will consist of all permanent and freelance staff writers and editors.

3.2              The editorial board decides on all decisions that affect directly AS magazine and web and its interests.

3.4              No member of the editorial board shall have more than one vote on the board.

3.5              All members of the editorial board and the adviser will elect a replacement for board members who have been dismissed.

3.6              All members of the editorial board are expected to know their duties and jobs in the room and must understand the consequences of not fulfilling said jobs.

3.7              Any permanent or freelance staff who want appropriate outside legal advice regarding proposed content should seek attorneys/experts knowledgeable in media law. However, final content decisions and responsibility shall remain with the editor/s and editorial board.

3.8              The duly appointed editor or co-editors shall interpret and enforce this editorial policy.

 Section 4

Advisor/s

4.1              Adviser/s must be media professional and is in charge of providing insightful advises on various matters pertaining to the publication of AS magazine and web.

4.2              Preferably a certified journalism teacher that serves as a professional role model, motivator, catalyst for ideas and professionalism, and an educational resource.

4.3              He/She provides a journalistic, professional learning atmosphere for permanent and freelance journalists working for Addis Standard magazine and web by allowing them to make the decision of content and ensuring the media will remain an open forum.

4.4              However, he/she must guide the staff in accordance with approved editorial policy.

4.5              He/she may caution, act as legal consultant but has no power over censorship or veto except for constitutionally valid reasons.

4.6              He/She will keep abreast of the latest trends on journalism and share these with staff

4.7              He/She will/can submit the editor/s content produced by the journalists to rating services and contests in order for the staff to receive feedback.

4.8              He/She will forward any received correspondence and/or information to the appropriate editors.

4.9              He/She will provide information to the staff about journalism scholarships and other financial aid, and make available information and contacts concerning journalism as a career.

4.10          Will work with the faculty and administration to help them understand the freedoms accorded by the Ethiopian constitution the professional goals of the school publications.

4.11          He/She will not act as a censor or determine the content of the magazine and web.

Section 5

 CONTENT
A. Introduction

All content decisions will be made in occurrence to the following provisions, while keeping in mind that the overall purpose, role and goal of Addis Standard magazine and web is to:

1. Inform, interpret, and entertain their viewers through accurate and factual reports, where information has been thoroughly gathered and information has been completely verified;

1. Be accurate, fair, and impartial in its coverage of issues that affect its wide readership;

3. AS magazine and web will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of  possible dissent  or controversy;
4. AS  magazine and web  will strive to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate and ethical  manner, according  to  the Canons  of  Professional Journalism developed by the Society  for Professional Journalists.

NOTE: The Canons of Professional Journalism include a code of  ethics concerning accuracy, responsibility, integrity, conflict of  interest, impartiality, fair play, freedom of  the press, independence, sensationalism, personal  privacy, obstruction of  justice, credibility and  advertising.

B. Profanity

1. AS  magazine and web will not print unnecessary profanity.
2. The editors will make the decision on whether a given content is considered profane or whether it is a cultural or non-vulgar slang term.
3. The editor reserves the right to edit quotes for unnecessary profanity or unnecessarily offensive words, quotes that have been edited will be noted accordingly when published.
4. Any edited quote will be read back to the source prior to publishing and sources will have a chance to make changes.
5. Journalists producing stories for AS magazine and web have the right to ask a source when necessary to repeat a quote without the use of profane language.

C.   Staff Writing

1. All cover stories, features, and analysis for publication in the Addis Standard magazine and web will be written by either permanent or freelance journalist after discussion on the editorial guideline with the editors.
2. AS magazine and Web has a platform whereby contributors both regular and casual can have the right and freedom to reflect on their opinions regarding issues both political, religious, economical and social
3. Letters to the editor, opinions, and commentaries are written by individuals who either want to communicate with the magazine or are invited as special guest writers on topics they are experts at. Their letters, opinions, and commentaries do not necessarily reflect the editorial principles of AS magazine and Web
4. Any writing submitted from an outside source for use will be accepted upon request of the editors or when open opportunities arise, and will be viewed by the editorial board for verification.
5. Any material submitted from an outside source can be edited by the editors and must comply with the editorial policy of AS  magazine and web.

D. Editorials

1. Editorial ideas may be submitted to the editorial board by all members of the Addis Standard magazine and web.
2. All printed editorial subject matter will be determined by the editorial board.
3. AS  magazine and web will not publish any material for which there is evidence that the author is using the paper for inappropriate personal gain.
4. AS  magazine and web will endeavor to provide a chance for comment on all sides of a critical issue in the same edition.
5. The editorial board, which consists of the journalists who are full time employees, will determine the content, including all unsigned editorials. The views stated in editorials represent that of a majority of the editorial board. Signed columns or reviews represent only the opinion of the author.

E. Regarding controversial issues

All coverage of controversial issues will occur upon a timely subject.

1. All sides of the issue will be presented and reviewed so as to refrain from any bias, with exception of opinions.
2. In news, all sides of state, individuals, national, or international political issues will be presented factually so as to inform rather than promote or endorse.
3. AS  magazine and web will not publish material that is unnecessarily obscene, libelous, unwarranted invasive of privacy.
4. AS magazine and web will not attack
5. If question on the veracity of publication persists, the issue will be brought to the editorial board who must consider the following questions before publication of the piece:

1. Why is it a concern?
2. What is its journalistic purpose?
3. Is the information accurate and complete?
4. How would we feel if the story was about ourselves or someone we know?
5. What are the consequences’ of the publication?
6. Is there a logical explanation to anyone who challenges issue?
7. Is it worth risking our credibility?
8. What are the alternatives?

F. Bylines

1. All articles, graphics, photos, art, columns, pages, reviews, and other material creatively conceived, with exception to staff editorials, mug shots and cut-outs will be byline with the producer’s name.
2. When more than one person has contributed creatively to a piece of work, any person who has contributed to the work must be byline as a contributor.

G. News and Features

1. AS  magazine and web will specialize in and emphasize on informing its readers of national and international news.
2. AS  magazine and web will cover community, state, national, and international news if it is directly relevant to the timing and its diverse readership
3. When faced with the undesirable news such as religious tensions, and gruesome crimes AS  magazine and web will endeavor to publish the facts correctly, explain the issue, and put a stop to any speculative stories that inevitably develop.
4. Major national issues and news will be priority over international affairs however,these major issues will be decided by the editorial board.

H. Regarding errors

Concerns about errors in the AS  magazine and web may be submitted to the editor. The editorial board retains the right to determine whether, in fact, an error has been made.

1. Known and or found errors that are brought to the attention of the Addis Standard magazine and web editors will be addressed immediately
2. Permanent and freelance journalists will strive to correct errors prior to publication; however, if the editorial board determines a significant  error is printed, the  editorial board will determine the manner and timeliness of  a correction.
3. Major corrections are determined by the editors and adviser.
4. If changes are made to a web story once a story has been posted, the change will be noted along with the date and time the change was made.

I: Letters to the editor and online comments

Letters to editor will be printed in the INBOX section of the newspaper or on the website.

1. Guidelines to write letters to the editor will be printed every issue in the INBOX section of Addis Standard magazine and web
2. Letters to editor should not exceed 300 words, must be signed and must include writers address and phone number for verification.
3. Letters to the editor will be verified by a member of the editorial board to determine the authenticity of the writer.
4. No material will be printed where content is obscene, invasive of others’ privacy, encouraging dissent or undermining the peace and stability of the nation, religious institutions, individuals, secular  institutions or groups
5. AS  magazine and web editorial board reserves the right to withhold a letter or column or other submission and/or return it for revision if it contains unprotected speech or grammatical errors that could hamper its meaning.
6. AS  magazine and web will only publish one letter, per author, per issue.
7. All letters to the editor become the property of Addis Standard magazine and web upon receipt and will not be returned to the author.
8. Online comments will require a name and email address submitted that are verifiable. They will not be moderated online. However, the editors will get back to person who wrote comments asking for permission to print in in the INBOX section of the magazine
9. Online comments that are found in violation of the editorial policy will be removed as quickly as possible.
10. Personal attacks are not allowed.

 

J: Social Media

1. AS magazine and web social media will be used to promote AS  magazine and web, to promote published content and to engage its readers.
2. The editor/s reserve the right to remove comments that violate any provisions hitherto outlined by this policy.
3. Information posted on social media platforms should be held to the same standard as all other reporting in terms of information gathering and fact checking.
4. The official social media accounts should avoid promotion of events and remain objective, reporting what is fact. Reporters using personal social media to cover events should do the same.
5. Information gained through social media channels should be verified through multiple channels before passing it along to others.
6. Audience engagement through social media should be done in a professional manner.
7. Staff members using applications to post updates to social media accounts should have separate applications for their personal account. This will limit the chance of a post being sent from the wrong account.
8. Transparency is important. Mistakes made on social media posts should be corrected as soon as possible and any deleted posts should be acknowledged in subsequent postings.

PART TWO

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION

This division is entirely independent and should have no influence over the editorial division whatsoever 

A: Advertising

1. AS  magazine and web will not accept advertising for products that are illegal according to the laws of the country
2. AS magazine and web will not run advertising without a proper signature on the advertising contract which explains terms of payment, content, size, publishing dates, includes attached layout which explains the terms of payment, content, size.
3. AS magazine and web will not accept personal or classified advertising.
4. All ads need to be approved by editorial board; any ad not deemed appropriate by board will not run.
5. AS  magazine and web will cease to publish advertising of any advertiser that does not meet payment obligations specified in the contract.
6. All advertisers will receive a complimentary subscription of AS magazine in which their ad has run
7. If a published advertisement is incorrect in substantive content, a reduced price or corrected run will be negotiated.
8. If more than 15, 000 birr is spent on print advertising, a complimentary online ad is given to the advertiser.
9. Web ads appear in a specified section of the website and randomly rotate through the area each time the page is refreshed.
10. Advertising that appears in the media is not necessarily endorsed by AS  magazine and web or its staff members, editorial board or adviser.

B: Distribution and Circulation

1. AS  magazine will have 40 pages in magazine format unless it is a special edition. The number of pages can however be altered if need be under the decision of the adviser and/or editorial board.
2. Daily updates will be made to the website from Monday to Friday. While less frequent updates will be made to the site after the publication of the magazine is completed.
3. AS magazine will be distributed to majority supermarkets, bookshops, hotels and cinemas in Addis Abeba and some regional cities according to a distribution schedule approved by the adviser and editors and run by the distribution coordinator/s.
4. AS magazine will be distributed during the first week of every month

 

Administrative Cost

JAKENN Publishing PLC will provide AS magazine and web with qualified editorial and administrative team as well as adequate equipment, such as office space, computers camera and voice recorders

5.1              JAKENN Publishing PLC should provide AS magazine and web prospective employees of editorial and administrative an equal opportunity to all

5.2              The owners of AKENN Publishing PLC are not, under any circumstances to view and approve publication content before publishing.