Pressure of Truth
Exposing the spin on all sides of the news.
Outlet profile

Addis Standard

Ethiopian independent, government-critical

Owned byPrivately owned. It is published by Jakenn Publishing Plc in Addis Ababa. It was founded by Tsedale Lemma. It is not owned by a political party or the government.
FundingThe sources I found do not give a full breakdown of its funding. Independent outlets of this kind usually rely on a mix of advertising, subscriptions and grants, but I could not confirm that for Addis Standard. It has no state funding.
On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

Tsedale Lemma founded Addis Standard in February 2011 as a monthly English-language magazine, after she left a job at the Israeli embassy. It later added a daily website. In 2016 the Ethiopian government forced it to stop printing, and it continued online. It resumed print publication in 2018 after Abiy Ahmed became prime minister. In July 2021, during the Tigray war, Ethiopian regulators withdrew its license. The outlet stopped publishing for a time, and Tsedale Lemma was editor-in-chief when that happened. In February 2026 the Ethiopian Media Authority revoked its online registration again. The authority said the outlet had spread reports that violated media ethics and Ethiopian law and harmed national interests. The Committee to Protect Journalists called the move retaliation and part of a wider campaign against critical media. In August 2026 security personnel reportedly detained its editor-in-chief, Yonas Kedir, for about 24 hours and questioned him about its reporting. Its perspective is that of a critical, independent outlet that scrutinizes Ethiopian authorities and covers rights and conflict issues. Its coverage of the second Trump administration is mostly news reporting on aid cuts, the loss of deportation protections for Ethiopians, and Trump's remarks on the Nile dam. It has also run viewpoint pieces, such as one asking whether Ethiopia can survive Trump's threats. It does not show a consistent pro- or anti-Trump line.

Sources

  1. Addis Standard - Wikipedia
  2. CPJ: Ethiopia revokes Addis Standard's license amid escalating crackdown on independent media
  3. CPJ: Ethiopia withdraws Addis Standard license, outlet ceases publication (2021)
  4. HRW: Ethiopia Shutters Key News Outlet
  5. HRW: Ethiopia's Growing Assault on Independent Media
  6. Addis Standard: Viewpoint: Can Ethiopia survive the Trump threats?
  7. Tsedale Lemma - Wikipedia

Profile compiled 2026-11-02; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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