1)      What is the deal with the annoying “dn-dish, dn-dish" music in between news and feature programs on VOA AmariNa? Why can’t you have Addisu mandorgor a l’il zEma instead?

You mean the bridges. We use them to separate items. Did you know Aduko’s… that’s what I call Addisu in memory of his girlfriend, who lived in Illubabor, Bedele town a long time ago! He used to be a teacher … could he have mamageTed one of his students?… sorry for the short tirade. I like to take a shot at him whenever possible. His mangergor is church zEma. We talk to Orthodoxes, Catholics, Moslems and Atheists… and pagans …we cannot have just Orthodox  songs as Bridges … that is called alienating others and I tell you …in radio that’s a no no.

2)      How can you tell an interviewee is a weslata lEba, ye sew molaCHa?

He could be that for all I care-- my job is to expose him for what he is ….. let the listeners be the judge!

3)      What things make broadcasting to the Amharic speaking audience different from the ferenji audience?  And how are they the same?

The language !!!!! Duh!!  The art of broadcasting, including the technique, on the other hand, is the same.

4)      How long have you been doing this cushy job, and how in the heck do WE get to work 3 days a week and  14 week vacations? In other words, what’s a nice girl like you doing in a joint like this? How did you start? How did you end up being the darling of VOA? What was your motivation to get into broadcasting? Journalism? WerE manzat?

Close to eleven years ……and it was fate. My calling to greatness !! …..ha ha ha … I know,… too much in your face …. We don’t like that, or do we? Modesty they say is the greatest of all virtues. But then again, unless I tell it, who will? It is not gura but fact. I started broadcasting way back when I was at the AAU, part time with ETV ……hmmm dates? I am not going into that. But it is one profession where you believe you can make a difference or are making one. VOA is a stop-over in my journey, and I joined while on tour with NYU’s Tish School of the Arts as a visiting scholar….Hey ! I can’t go into my Bio. That’s for my “book”. By the way, I could be the darling of my listeners, but VOA ….I don’t know… joro lebalebetu endilu!

5)      Are you friendly with the kids who broadcast in Urdu and Uzbek? (Can you confirm they come in drunk and are actually reading erotic novels on air because … well, you know… love in Urdu is da bomb!) 

The kids from Arabic, I know very well.  We meet outside the building for “ Nic …break” you know …hee hee me bad girl! And guess what? One of them is called Osama!  Imagine his life after September 11! The other, called Nassir, fed up with what he called ethnic profiling, said he couldn’t take time off … Or go on vacation. He put it this way … “Anyway, where will I go with my little Arab head?”…Sad but funny!

6)      How many correspondents/stringers  do you have in Ethiopia and how do you get them? Are they affiliated with news agencies/newspapers in Ethiopia or are they independent journalists?

Their number varies from time to time, and we hire them sometimes by Tqomma, or they approach us, or sometimes they happen to be where news is happening and boom! they become a correspondent. Last but not least, be’zemed !

7)      Can there be too much freedom of the press?

No, but there can be too much abuse of that freedom.

8)      Which is the dirtiest word: GazETeNa? Negere fej? BotelikeNa?  How do you think the Ethiopian society sees journalism?

Add to that wereNa, and se’laii if you do investigative reporting. The society, in my opinion, respects the profession and has the knowledge that this is the profession that should serve as its eyes and ears, but alas those in the trade have failed miserably…. And hence the names. At first it was the mouth piece of the regime, now that it has a chance at “independence” it is bogged down with lack of know-how, sheer greed, rumor, libel and is barely struggling to define its mission. Of course there are a few now that have managed to live up to the expectations of the public. Women in this profession… This is one issue close to my heart. As in all other fields, we have a long way to go…journalism is no different. The same gender barriers exist.   

9)      What was the biggest journalistic coup of your career?

There are two actually….breaking the story of the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. And the first ever Interview with an Ethiopian leader for VOA Amharic, i.e. my interview with Meles Zenawi.

10)  Who do you admire among Ethiopian journalists, and is it true that Leulseged Kumsa was Edward R. Murrow's understudy before the advent of TV in Addis?

I hate this question …….you see, this profession has a long way to go in our country. Most previous “journalists” got to where they were be’zelemad, not through proper education. I admit they were pretty talented to fill the void …Lule had a great voice, and was a good English tenagari. Not to disappoint you, but I’ll go with Paulous Ngongo.

11)  Who would you NOT interview? And why?

As long as they are news makers, there is no one I would not interview …… after all I control the mike.

12)  OK. So how many love letters do you get from smitten men who want to make you their misht? (And.. er.. have you been getting Seleda Editor #456.1’s love rantings?)

Numerous!!! When my marriage was announced, courtesy of my friend Aduko who surprised me with an interview of my husband to be, a flood of letters followed. One in particular, sent me his thumbprint so that I can tear it. He said he had married me in secret …One other listener declared his love by sending an article to a Gel’gazeta. From Seleda editors? Nothing yet. But maybe after this interview.

13)  Who has the final say on what gets on air?

The Editor, there are four of us in Amharic and we rotate every week.

14)  How do you say “Tora Bora sucks the big one!” in AmariNa? Seriously though, who is the AmariNa liq who so deftly translates all them words so that you are not defiled by guramaylE?

Everyone contributes to coin a new phrase/saying. When translating, though, let’s say we are all careful. Remember you take a seven-hour language test to get through the VOA doors.

15)  What is the most popular program on the VOA AmariNa?

Radio Magazine, of course!!

16)  What is the demographics of your audience?

Demographics ? …hmmm.  We broadcast in three of the major languages of Ethiopia,  Amharic, Afan-Oromo and Tigrigna. Because of the third language, we have included Eritrea as one of our target areas. As Amharic is the national language and has been a working language for over a century, we believe we are reaching millions of people in the Horn .

17)  Do you think we Ethiopians communicate, mis-communicate, pseudo-communicate or just megelameT?

That word, “communication”, does not exist in our vocabulary. Communication needs civilized discourse. We need to learn a lot, do some soul searching and face our weakness. Only then can we talk. Let’s  take politics….America is a country where we see a husband and wife who love each other, have kids, but are of different parties and they debate . Ethiopians!! …. They can’t even be friends unless they think alike, hate alike…. They do not see beauty in differences. Even in simple conversation. Instead of listening to what you are saying, they want to know why you are saying what you are saying, and on they go with guessing your motives… the cancerous tradition of conspiracy theory is also there …. The confusion of conservatism (which is nothing more than church tradition for some) and liberalism (which is associated mostly with people with open minds) does not help. Then comes “yiluNta” the mother of all mis-communication. And we have all brought it over here and are trying to nurture it on alien soil.  

18)  What is the best way to get an uncooperative interviewee to open up and tell you his/her deepest darkest secrets?

Refer to your own experience, dear Seledawian …patience, experience and a little knowledge of human behavior are the necessary tools of the trade!

19)  So, is Telly “TelliyE” Leimbach  (producer) still around or is there truth to the report that he raised your ire and is now out reporting about the mating habits of wildlife in Siberia?

One person so nice all the time is him … he brings sanity to the place most times …and he is funny …. On commenting about Addisu’s weight for example, “ We have more of Addisu to love”. On our breakfast, which is mostly Raisin Bran-- he calls us “cereal killers”.

20)  What is the hardest part of your job?

This ….. when somebody turns the gun      (oops! The mike) at you. Well, the hardest part is distancing yourself, your feelings and emotions and maintain objectivity and balance.

21)  Do you ever threaten Ethiopian restaurants with your celebrity? Meaning, if they don’t comp your food you’ll report that the siga in their Tbs siga is really ye-fafach ayT’s  godin? If not, why the heck not? Sishom yalbela…?

No way, I carry my popularity with dignity ….but I have to admit people do give you preferential treatment and it feels …so goood!

22)  Can someone with zero, nada personality still have a career in radio broadcasting or does personality come through even on radio?

Oh, yes, it does -- it certainly comes through. It is so transparent, the audience can detect it with the smallest of hints. If one is hateful, depressive, slimy or whatever, like somewhere down there in the food chain, they would know. It comes out in the intonation, delivery, choice of words, etc. You have to have the personality!

23)  How often is “the truth” and “objectivity” a casualty in news broadcasting?

Many, many times. Have no illusion! Credibility is a hard-earned commodity in our trade.

24)  What is the next step for you in terms of career? Ultimately, what would you like to do?

I will grow old and fade away, but one thing I’m sure of is, I would still be in media. Maybe I might teach journalism … it is desperately needed in Ethiopia. Then again, if ever my wish is fulfilled, I want to start my own TV, radio, internet simulcast in Ethiopia. There is one other unfulfilled wish, but I need lots of money. I will do it though, through sheer will …. “Taitu Bitul” the feature film, about one of Ethiopia’s greatest women.

25)  Undoubtedly, you keep track of the lb tirita/pulse of the Ethiopian community, especially in the US. How has the Ethiopian Diaspora changed in the past two decades?

Change? What is that? The Ethiopian Diaspora is fighting against change. Change implies different, you cannot be different. Societal change needs common effort …abesha bezih ayitamam …on an individual basis there are noteworthy positive changes …… but please!!! Diaspora indeed !!!

26)  How do you politely turn down somebody who really, really, really wants to be interviewed on your program?

“Sorry, you are not newsworthy, you would bore my audience and make me look stupid. Why don’t you get your own radio and be interviewed!!!!!”  No, I did not mean that. You know, I would interview him/her on why he wants to be interviewed so much. Then let people decide his/her fate. He or she will be a filler on an empty slot. Heartless, …… am I?

27)  How many countries are you broadcast in, and from which part of the globe do you get the most hate mail … the most love mail?

We are heard all over the world except in the USA. The founding fathers said no to the government owning media. And we are Federally owned. I guess Ethiopians are polite. We never get hate mail.

28)  Let’s say we could arrange for the  peeps from Deutsche Welle to engage the people at VOA in some verbal gb-gb?  Who would win and why? (Note shall be made of gratuitous soft ball question.)

How do you want me to respond to this?? We are already engaged in verbal gb’gb since we broadcast to the same region in the same language. But the last audience survey put us on top. I guess the country did matter after all ….It is the US of A.

29)  Give us three reasons why VOA is still relevant?

VOA is still relevant because there is no alternative source of news for millions of Ethiopians. The news they get is from Government owned media. Also, lack of independent media in the target area makes VOA the only forum for different voices and opinions to be heard. VOA has established credibility, and people want it to confirm news events that affect their lives ……you said three, but I’ll give you a fourth reason … we are relevant because they love us !!

30)  Remember when you interviewed us? Why did you cut out the part when Addisu called one SELEDA Editor “ye BolE molqaqa”? 

He was flirting !! Dirria aychalim be’rradio.