Outlet profile

Addis Standard

Ethiopian independent, center-left

Owned byJAKENN Publishing P.L.C., a privately registered Ethiopian media company; founded by journalist Tsedale Lemma

FundingPrimarily advertising and digital subscriptions; privately owned, no disclosed state or foreign government funding

On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

Addis Standard was founded in February 2011 by Ethiopian journalist Tsedale Lemma, who launched it as a monthly English-language magazine through JAKENN Publishing P.L.C., registered with Ethiopia's Ministry of Trade and Industry. Lemma previously worked at the Addis Tribune and studied at Addis Ababa University and Stockholm University. The outlet quickly established a reputation as one of Ethiopia's few independent voices, covering politics, human rights, governance, and regional affairs critically. Government pressure forced it to shift to online-only publication around 2016 after printers refused to print the magazine. In July 2021, Ethiopia's Media Authority withdrew its operating license during a period of broader media crackdowns linked to the Tigray conflict; the outlet later resumed operations. On February 24, 2026—three months before Ethiopia's June 2026 general elections—the Media Authority again revoked its license, accusing it of violating media ethics and endangering national interests. Addis Standard's editor-in-chief Yonas Kedir rejected those claims, and international press freedom groups including CPJ and Human Rights Watch condemned the move as politically motivated suppression of independent journalism. Media Bias/Fact Check rates the outlet as center-left in editorial orientation with mostly factual (though sometimes lightly sourced) reporting.

Sources

Profile compiled 2026-08-04; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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