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specting the media and the role it plays
in the development of the country.

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Efforts to pressure the government
into establishing two major laws concerning the media and information were
stepped up. The Coalition for Right to Information, which is comprised of media
experts, Lawyers, Media Owners and Social activists, is working on that tirelessly.
In the year 2012, through forums
with Members of the Parliament, courtesy visits to the Ministers responsible,
international community, community
workshops and meetings, the Coalition
worked very hard to create an understanding of the importance of the two
bills and how they could be detrimental
to country’s development.
The need to have Right to information legislation in Tanzania is derived
from the best practices that have already
taken place in various countries of the
World. The provisions of the local and
international instruments have also supported this need.
Media Services legislation is a separate set of principles and standards,
which the government wishes to, shape
the dissemination of information by and
to members of the public. There are pertinent issues distinguished from freedom
of information legislation, which need
specific address by the law to be enacted. Such issues include, but are not limited to such things as licensing of mass
media for the purposes of practicing in
the country; and contents management



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and control in order to protect the public
morals and ethics and promote growth
of a society and regulation of professional misconducts and/or behaviour of
media practitioners among others.
Legislation on media services has to
incorporate a wide number of such issues
addressed above in order to promote the
enjoyment of diverse media contents to
suit diverse interests of consumers. To
have independent and professional media personnel, any legislation to be enacted should not ignore the issues noted.
It is important to notice at this point
that freedom of information legislation
can easily be implemented where there
are media services laws that adequately
promote media freedom. In the absence
of such relationship, the enjoyment
of article 18 of the Constitution of the
United Republic of Tanzania will remain
a dream to be achieved.
MISA Tanzania believes that it is
through legislation of the MSB & ATI
Laws that will guarantee journalism as
a trusted profession in the country and
grant the general population access to
relevant information, thereby allowing
them to participate in the development
of the country in an informed manner.

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Until few minutes before midnight
on 31st December 2012, the system of
broadcasting was predominantly analogue especially the free to air services.
Cable television services have changed
tremendously over the years since 1994
when Cable television licences were
granted. Cable television operators in

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