Cognitive and Affective Strategized Approaches of Media for Persuasion of Government Policy Issues: The Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to describe the cognitive and affective strategized approaches of a media – Fana Broadcasting Corporate S.c – to persuade government policy issues of the country, mainly on its audience of the capital city Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. With this general objective, the study evaluated the strategies the giant media was using, particularly in its radio channels transmission. In the study, descriptive survey was employed, and purposive sampling was used. Participants of the study were from seemingly different three segments but for common outputs. In the first segment, 64 journalists from the media were participants, and the sample was randomly drawn from the general population of the study (N= 75). In the second segment, which comprised of 36 participants, was regular listeners of the broadcasting media, specifically, snowball sampling technique was used. Participants, in the third segment of the study, were those who are called “Public Opinion Leaders” and regular listeners of the media. They were five individuals with different reputable statuses by the society, and selected based on expert judgment. To collect data from all the participants, questionnaire, in-depth interview and Standardized scale were used. It was found that the more dominant approach by the media was the affective strategized approaches, and also so did the audience participants choice. The professionals’ dynamic vigilance toward the approaches was found average, and the media was successful in influencing people to persuade using its affective approach, but not on its cognitive. It is concluded that the media and the audience were in association regarding the affective approach. Despite the media was an influential, in relation to the cognitive approach, however, it is important to incorporate opposite views too and show each justification’s clearly. Further study with large sample size, longer time frame on broader media contexts was suggested to have a comprehensive understanding of issues commonly used in the media environment.