The document summarizes the Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009 which discussed trends in African media and democracy. It then focuses on the case of Ethiopia, where most private media is dominated by the post-revolution generation and promotes a polarized agenda. In response, the Addis Neger newspaper was founded by young journalists to transform discourse through appreciating history, promoting intergenerational dialogue, and establishing a culture of public reason and reciprocity in debate. Challenges to this include restrictive laws and a lack of capacity and independence within the Ethiopian media sector.