“In the footsteps of globalization” : A media ethnographic study about Ethiopian journalism students’ perceptions about television’s influence on their identities and on cultures in Ethiopia.

Abstract: This is a media ethnographic bachelor thesis. It examines journalism students at Bahir Dar University’s perceptions about how television can influence their identities but also cultures and lifestyles in Ethiopia in general. Ethnographic observations, time-use diaries, group interviews and individual interviews were used to gather data. However, the individual interviews are our main method. Our results showed that the journalism students believe that television influence them in various ways: their way of dressing and looking, acting, thinking and being. They also believe that televisions’ ability to change their identities in a bigger context means that cultures and traditions in Ethiopia are changing. The journalism students talk about different phenomenons that have arisen in Ethiopia during the last years, for example homosexuality, new techniques and appliances and new kind of clothes and food. And they say that they believe these phenomenons have arisen in Ethiopia because of media globalization.