Sector 5 Follow- up questions in Round Two: To facilitate a new strategy for the next two years. 1) Changes in the media environment over the last two years The number of media houses and training institutions has increased; There has been a lot of debate on the changes in law on the right to access to information, freedom of expression and media services; The media is covering more investigative stories; The media is becoming more credible among the people; Quality of media content has improved; Increase in technical quality and websites; Establishment of the Tanzania Media Fund to improve investigative journalism; Transformation from the state to public broadcaster of Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC); Advocacy on media law reforms is high; Government’s recognition that the media is an important ally in the fight against corruption; The President or his spokesperson meets the media monthly; Strategic networking between the media and civil society is growing; and An Editors Forum has been established. 2) If positive changes: who or what has been the main cause? Tanzania is currently undergoing transformation with a lot of reforms in the political, economic and social spheres. The media has not been left behind. There are internal forces such as media/ civil society coalitions that are lobbying and advocating for policy and legal reforms. Opposition parties and general tolerance and political will of the government are also mitigating factors. The external and internal changes have contributed to positive change. The external forces –mostly donors are forcing government to open up space. Internal forces – tolerance, opposition parties, media/civil society coalitions. 3) What are the main obstacles for (further) positive change? Lack of resources financial and technical. Most of the reforms/ changes are donor supported; Not everyone is on board in the Government as well as in the public. There is resistance by certain conservative people who do not want to accommodate changes; Some of the changes are externally engineered and do not have the local support; Problem of infrastructure; Absorption capacity of the reforms differs quite a lot. If you are not well informed you may be left behind while if you are ahead, you will be frustrated by those pulling you back. Poor quality of manpower/lack of professionalism; Monopoly/media concentration is getting tighter; and Fragmentation of media owners who do not speak with one voice. 4) If negative changes: who or what has been the main cause? “High mortality rate” of media outlets mostly caused by a weak economic base; Degradation of moral standards in which the media has contributed; Standards have fallen down in the profession even though they are more graduates joining the profession. This may be due to theoretical training rather than practical So This Is Democracy? 2008 -245- Media Institute of Southern Africa