SECTOR 3 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: 2.2 (2012 = n/a; 2010 = n/a; 2008 = n/a; 2006 = n/a) 3.6 The state/public broadcaster is adequately funded in a manner that protects it from political interference through its budget and from commercial pressure. The two state broadcasters are not considered to be adequately funded, particularly due to political interference in their budgets. In practice, the broadcasters draw up budgets and present these to the Ministry of Information. The minister routinely slashes these budgets in half before they go before a parliamentary committee, where they are cut further. In this way, the amount required from government for these broadcasters to operate optimally is drastically reduced. It is also common practice for the state not even to provide the budget that it finally agreed to. As a result, the state broadcasters are left running around trying to source sufficient funding for the running costs, making them susceptible to economic pressure from commercial interests. Fortunately for the staff, as civil servants, they are paid directly by the government. “Not only is there political interference with the state broadcasters’ editorial content, but there is also economic dependence.” AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Tanzania 2015 51