SECTOR 1 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 4.1 (2012 = 4.1; 2010 = 3.2; 2008 = 2.7; 2006 = 2.8) 1.11 Media legislation evolves from meaningful consultations among state institutions, citizens and interest groups. The government has generally engaged media stakeholders in consultations about pending media-related legislation. This includes public hearings to which stakeholders, non-governmental organisations and other civil society bodies are usually invited. Recently, however, particularly with the Access to Information Bill and the Media Services Act, the input provided by the stakeholders was largely ignored in the ensuing drafts. “Most laws evolve from consultations but, with it being an election year, the government is tightening up on the media, especially.” The meaningful participation of non-state stakeholders was highly questionable with the passing in parliament of the Cybercrimes Act, the draft of which was publicised online by the state for comment on a Sunday. This act was then rushed through “in a matter of hours” under a certificate of urgency, before interest groups and civil society had a chance to read the draft and provide any input. “The government goes through the motions of appearing to consult citizens on laws but often relevant people are not invited to provide input and it is not well publicised by the state: you have to seek it yourself.” Again, the Cybercrimes Act is a case in point, where the government apparently conducted two meetings to discuss content of a draft bill, “but only state officials” had been invited to attend. “Government hit the media on many fronts. And they distracted us by passing the Cybercrimes Act and the Statistics Act, while we were looking at the access to information legislation and the pending Media Services Act.” AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Tanzania 2015 25