The Ethiopian Media Authority says the three-decade-old paper breached legal and professional standards but has not publicly cited specific articles

Ethiopia’s media regulator has ordered one of the country’s longest-running independent newspapers to stop publishing indefinitely, raising fresh concerns over the shrinking space for independent journalism.

Regulator halts print and online editions

The Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) announced the suspension on Nov. 2. The order affects the Amharic and English editions of The Reporter, as well as the publisher’s online operations.

It bars the publication from continuing its activities until it meets legal and professional requirements set by the regulator.

Authority cites misleading coverage

The authority said it had monitored the newspaper’s coverage for more than a year and found repeated breaches of legal and professional standards.

It accused the outlet of publishing misleading and one-sided material that could undermine public confidence and harm the country’s investment climate, tourism and diplomatic relations.

However, the authority did not identify specific articles or provide detailed evidence for the allegations in its public announcement.

A three-decade voice in two languages

The Reporter has operated for about three decades. It is among the few privately owned media outlets in Ethiopia offering coverage in both Amharic and English.

Its suspension follows other actions against independent media this year. Those include the revocation of Addis Standard’s license in February and the expulsion of a correspondent for French newspaper La Croix in June.

Press freedom under scrutiny

The decision comes as Ethiopia faces continued scrutiny over press freedom. Reporters Without Borders ranks the country 148th out of 180 in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index and reports that five journalists are currently detained.

Four of them have been held for nearly three years on terrorism charges that could carry the death penalty.