IREX
International Research & Exchanges Board

MSI Africa

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Tanzania

Introduction

Overall Country Score:  2.19

Under the leadership of President Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania has witnessed three multi-party elections under the political system introduced in 1999 following the death of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who had ruled since independence.

Tanzania’s media sector has a long history. Out of a population of about 36 million people, about 3,000 are journalists working both with print and electronic media. It is estimated that 40 percent of journalists are women. There are 38 radio stations, eight television stations, 13 cable television providers, 18 daily newspapers, and 53 weekly papers. There are over 15 media associations, including ones for national, regional, and niche interests and constituencies.

The public, including opposition politicians, enjoys freedom of speech. Traditionally, journalists have been able to gather and disseminate information without restrictions. However, the trend is changing with the introduction of new media laws that are likely to be very restrictive to press freedom and freedom of expression. There are several media laws inherited from colonial rule that the government wants to replace. The proposed replacement has been copied from Uganda, but media professionals oppose it because it introduces a number of restrictions to press freedom.

Tanzania’s overall score reflects a mix of one relatively high score in Objective 5, supporting institutions (2.68), and scores below 2 in Objectives 2 and 4, professional journalism and business management (1.70 and 1.88, respectively). Panelists felt that there is a mutually reinforcing link between lackluster journalism quality and weak financial performance of media outlets.

Objective 1: Freedom of Speech

Score: 2.31

Indicator scores in this objective were spread out into three categories. Indicators 3, 5, 6, and 7 all scored well below the average but still above 1. Indicators 1, 2, and 4 scored slightly above the average but below 3. Indicators 8 and 9 scored on the high side, above 3. Overall, panelists felt that Tanzania is secure from drastic measures such as restricted access by the media to foreign news or government regulation of who may become a journalist. They further felt that the legal groundwork is in place to support freedom of speech and that journalists do not feel threatened carrying out their work. However, many of the legal details and regulatory aspects of the media sector still need development, such as market entry, accessing public information, and the nature of state broadcasting.

The Tanzanian constitution clearly states that freedoms of speech and expression are guaranteed. However, several laws and acts contradict these constitutional provisions, including the Newspaper Act of 1976, the Security Act of 1970, and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2003. The penal code also has sections that the authorities may use to restrict or even shut some publications. The MSI panel felt that, despite the above laws, the media in Tanzania enjoy operating freedom.

The proposed Freedom of Information of 2007 bill, mentioned in the Introduction above, includes provisions that restrict access to some public information and licensing of journalists on an annual basis. Members of media-related professions oppose this bill. One panelist said, “In Tanzania, journalists write and report freely compared to our colleagues in the region. The only fear is the carelessness of some of our colleagues while doing their work. We think this [carelessness] has forced government to come up with new media laws that are likely to affect us.”

The panel felt that licensing of new media outlets, including both broadcast and print, is supposed to be done in a free and fair manner. The process of acquiring a license from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority is not easy. One panelist gave an example of the Catholic Church television and radio stations that took a year to be licensed and received a restricted area of coverage.

Taxes on newspaper inputs, such as imported newsprint, are high. Although the current president, Kikwete, promised to cut such taxes during his campaign, one year later this has not been implemented. This has kept the prices of newspapers high and unaffordable to a large number of people who may wish to read them.

Cases of violence against journalists are very rare. The only one cited by the panel was that of former Minister of Information Omary Mapuki, who lost his job after assaulting a journalist, Mpoki Bukuku, who had reported critically about him.

The existing media laws apply in the same way to both state and private media. Panelists noted, however, that it is much easier for journalists working for the state media to access information from government sources. Editorial independence for state media is not guaranteed, and at no time can it run stories that criticize the government or its officials.

Public information is more freely available depending on how it portrays the government. If information is not considered “negative,” it can be freely provided to both state and private media. Negative information is either withheld altogether or else reported with an angle favorable to the government by the state media.

Panelists stated that there is no restriction on accessing international news sources by media outlets and media that can afford to can use the Internet freely.

Entry into the journalism profession is open. The new media law proposed by the government, however, includes proposals that would require minimum educational requirements in order to enter the profession.

Objective 2: Professional Journalism

Score: 1.70

Most of the indicators fell close to the overall average, with the notable exception of Indicator 5, pay levels for journalists. Panelists rated this indicator a full point lower than the average. Panelists’ comments reflected a feeling that the economic squeeze has most affected journalists’ performance, leading to most of them being poorly paid or not paid at all.

The panel agreed that most journalists in Tanzania report objectively and follow the required steps to prepare balanced stories. However, self-censorship exists in some media outlets, especially state-run ones. Reporters and editors practice this for fear of losing their jobs. Media owners have editorial policies in place, which journalists are supposed to follow. Stories that contradict these policies, however good they may be, will not see the light of the day.

The panel gave the example of an editor of Mwanainchi newspaper who was dismissed in the middle of the night by its owners because he had run a story about the construction of the Central Bank building. This controversial project has cost the government $280 million, and the editor was planning to run a second story about the subject. Some of the paper’s owners are friends of government officials, and the story was looking into corruption surrounding the project.

Similarly, as much as journalists may wish to cover all key events, in certain cases media outlets will not provide coverage if it would promote a point of view that does not conform to the outlet’s editorial bend. Further, there are some planned events where the organizers will specifically exclude “unfriendly” media. While this is not a formal government policy, officials choose to do this on their own.

Most journalists are poorly paid, and this has encouraged corruption in the media, such as killing stories in exchange for money. Staff reporters are paid between TZS 60,000 and TZS 70,000 (about $50) per month. Correspondents and freelancers are paid an average of TZS 2,000 ($15) per story. Most journalists working for broadcast media are paid better than those who work for print media. On balance, however, most professions in Tanzania are poorly paid.

In addition to low pay, cash-flow issues add to the miserable situations journalists face. The panelists mentioned cases where some journalists working with certain media houses have gone without pay for months. “These problems will be addressed by the new Employment Labor Relations Act of 2004, enacted in 2006, which guarantees contracts for every employee in Tanzania,” said Godfrey Kambenga, general secretary for the Tanzania Union of Journalists. Other panel members disagreed with him, saying that many good laws have been enacted before, but when it comes to implementation they are kept in books.

Media outlets try to balance their programs by giving equal coverage to both news and entertainment; however, consumers are more interested in entertainment than news.

The panel noted that some media owners have managed to import modern facilities and equipment for use in news gathering and broadcasting. Those outlets with better equipment, the panel felt, produce better-quality news reports.

Objective 3: Plurality of News

Score: 2.40

Panelists rated most indicators in this objective close to the average. Indicator 6, transparency of media ownership, scored more than a full point higher because panelists felt this information is open and accessible. On the other hand, the government’s use of state media for what panelists termed “propaganda” and the lack of an independent news service meant that Indicators 3 and 4 scored much lower than the objective average.

Most media outlets are concentrated in the cities because of market and economic factors. However, both private and state media, broadcast and print, cover all parts of the country. Most people depend on electronic media, particularly radio, for information because it is more affordable than buying newspapers. The panel says that, although radio is a vital source of information for rural people, in some areas they cannot afford to buy batteries for their radio sets. Panelists remarked that in some rural areas there are community papers that publish obscene stories and pictures instead of covering informational issues that would support development and participation in civil society.

Panelists also pointed out that Zanzibar, the largest city, has no functioning private media, broadcast or print, as a result of local policies.

There are no government restrictions on accessing foreign or domestic news sources. The panel agreed that citizens mainly access foreign radio or television broadcasts rather than foreign print titles. For those who can afford it, the Internet also provides access to foreign news. The Internet is available primarily in cities.

State media is controlled by the government and allocates most of its airtime to covering activities of the ruling party and, panelists said, pro-government propaganda. Opposition political parties are given little time. “The good news is that, despite the fact that state media is in the hands of government, it also uses it to promote educational and development programs, which are given reasonable time,” said one panelist.

No independent local news agencies exist; however, foreign ones are available and used by local media outlets on a subscription basis. Panelists agreed that their fees are affordable.

The panel agreed that private broadcast media produce their own programs generally, but news segments come from different sources, including the government, and therefore these programs do not effectively add a different perspective.

Media ownership is generally known. Panelists said that anybody interested in finding this information may do so easily. However, panelists felt that very few citizens are interested in knowing this information. The panel said that most media owners want to keep secret their revenue and audience or circulation figures. Panelists noted a recent trend where groups of investors or companies have started to dominate media ownership. A case in point is the Nation Group that owns a newspaper, radio station, and television channel. Another example is IPP, a consumer products company that also owns several publications, FM stations, and television channels.

A minority-language issue does not exist in Tanzania because all citizens speak Swahilli. Most media use this language.

Objective 4: Business Management

Score: 1.88

All indicators scored close to the average, except for Indicator 4, advertising revenue is in line with accepted standards, which was somewhat higher.

Panelists described a mixed system of managing media outlets. Those owned by large companies, as described in Objective 3, generally have better management practices and are more or less profitable. Smaller outlets have a harder time, though some are not intended to be profitable businesses but rather an outlet for certain viewpoints. Community media have a hard time becoming sustainable because of a lack of consistent revenue from sales difficulty attracting advertisements.

Printing and distribution of papers is done by private-sector companies through a network of agents and vendors who are able to reach significant parts of the country. However, delivery delays regularly occur, especially with small print media. Panelists depicted printing and distribution companies as profitable, even lucrative.

Private media owners finance their businesses by using savings and bank loans to supplement sales of copies and revenue from advertising. The government does not subsidize private media. The panel agreed that revenue from advertisements affects editorial independence at most media outlets: media are unlikely to run stories critical of a big advertiser.

Though the advertising industry is still in its infancy, efforts are being made by media owners, managers, and advertising personnel to establish an infrastructure to help its growth. In some cases already, advertisements are run at the expense of news space. News takes 60 percent of space in newspapers, and advertisements typically occupy 40 percent. However, at times advertisements are allowed to take more space if managers need to increase revenue. At times, this causes stories to be dropped at the last minute to create space for late advertisements, panel members said.

Media outlets do no market research, and the only research that is carried out is at the initial stages leading to the launch of a new product. Broadcast ratings, circulation figures, and Internet statistics, if carried out, are not made public, but there are means of getting them from competing media outlets. Steadman carries out surveys on circulation figures, but most outlets prefer not to accept their outcome, panelists said. From the information available, organizations that carry out surveys employ both professionals and semi-skilled people to perform the work.

Objective 5: Supporting Institutions

Score: 2.68

Panelists rated all indicators relatively close to the overall average. Higher scores went to Indicators 1 and 6, trade associations and sources of newsprint and printing. Lower scores were given to Indicators 2 and 4, professional associations and formal journalism education programs.

Trade and professional associations exist in Tanzania, but some of them are not active and of less help to members. The better associations, according to panelists, include the Media Council of Tanzania, the Tanzania Media Women Association, the Media Owner’s Association of Tanzania, the Tanzania Union of Journalists, and the Tanzania Association of Journalists, which was founded by the ruling party in the 1960s but is now waning in influence. In general, members do not pay subscription fees to these organizations, and, combined with the generally poor economic situation, this limits the effectiveness of lobbying and advocacy efforts. However, all these organizations carry out training programs for journalists in different fields, ranging from professional issues to human rights.

Certain nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) support journalists and media-related causes. They include the Center for Basic Human Rights, the Tanzania Gender Networking Program, and the National Organization for Legal Aid.

Three universities offer degrees in journalism and mass communications: State University of Dar-es- Salaam, St. Augustine University, and Tumani University. Several other colleges provide diploma and certificate courses in journalism, but panelists felt that the quality of courses is poor. The panel said that most graduates of journalism programs—panelists estimated about 60 percent—end up as freelancers; only a few get permanent jobs.

Some media outlets have set up in-house training for their reporters, and panelists remarked that this has worked well with some. Training opportunities abroad and exchange programs used to be available, but are not presently. However, some international organizations—like IFJ, which works with local NGOs—have assisted in training journalists in Tanzania through short courses. This has helped those who joined the profession without formal media training. These training efforts help journalists acquire new skills. Such courses are fully sponsored by the organizers, and attendees do not pay any registration fees.

Printing facilities and access to newsprint is now free, unlike times when Tanzania was under one-party rule. During those times, the two biggest printers, Print Pack and Uhuru, were restricted to printing only state papers and those that supported the government. There are several private printers today, and many businesses import newsprint and sell it to media without restriction.

Media distribution channels for private media are in private hands and carried out without interference. State media also rely in part on private businesses for distribution. Vehicles and kiosks are used to distribute print media in cities, while papers are sold in small shops outside large cities.

Panel Participants

Samuel Kamndaya, business reporter, The Citizen, Arusha
Paul Mallimbo, journalist, IPP Company Group, Dar-es-Salaam
Simon Kivamwo, senior reporter, The Guardian Limited, Mwanza
Lugano Uli Mbwina, editor, Mwanainchi Communications, Dar-es-Salaam
Alpha Isaya Nuhu, features editor, Media Communications, Mombasa
Boniface Luhanga, news editor, The Guardian Limited, Dar-es-Salaam
John Mungole, coordinator, Human Rights Commission of Tanzania, Dar-es-Salaam
Mapwaki Denge, advertising and circulation expert, Tanzania Media Consultants, Bukoba

Moderator
Godfrey Kambenga, journalist and general secretary, Tanzania Union of Journalists, Dar-es-Salaam