Ethiopian Media Service the New brand, Says ESAT International

March 30, 2022

Ethiopian Media Service soliciting funds with the aim to finance transmissions in Ethiopia  

Ethiopian Media Services new logo (Source : EMS)

Borkena

ESAT International on Wednesday announced that it has rebranded itself as Ethiopian Media Services. 

The decision to change the name came due to, said the Board of the new Ethiopian Media Services,  a court case filed against ESAT International, in Ethiopia, in connection with brand ownership of what was once regarded by many Ethiopians as the primary media tool in the struggle against Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) media repression before it lost domination in central Ethiopia. 

Feedback from the support base and audience to change the name instead of indulging in a legal battle with the entity that is claiming ownership of the ESAT brand was another reason the decision, according to Ethiopian Media Services Board.

Furthermore, it said that the legal procedures in the United States were followed in the process of the brand change. 

“We would like to announce that the name ‘ESAT International’  is changed to EMS (Ethiopian Media Services) starting from March 30, 2022. It was done in accordance with US law,” The Board said in a brief statement that was shared on social media. 

With regards to social media accounts, it said that the accounts on Youtube, Facebook, Telegram, Twitter, and other accounts that were using the name ESAT International will now be using the name EMS.

In what seems to be an effort to straighten out the issue of financing the new entity, EMS called upon all its supporters to continue donation on GoFundMe. 

The campaign on GoFundMe, which was launched on  March 22, 2022, has so far raised well over $93,000 and the initial $100,000 bar is raised to $150. 

EMS is aiming, from the statement it shared on social media, to launch transmission in Ethiopia via Balageru Television – a process that was stalled due to the legal battle with ESAT brand owners who are mostly based in Ethiopia. 

It was last week that ESAT international announced that it has parted ways with ESAT Management and Board, mostly based in Ethiopia. 

The Board and Management blamed the split on ESAT International which now became Ethiopian Media Services.