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: Score of previous years: ✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ 1.8 2006: n/a; 2008: n/a; 2010: 2.1; 2012: 2.5; 2015: 1.5 3.7 The state/public broadcaster offers diverse programming and formats that cater for all interests, including local content and quality public interest programmes TBC offers a broad range of programmes that cover subjects from politics to fashion. Panellists said most of these programmes, however, are intended to promote government actions and portray the authorities positively – rather than serve all interests. It is common for programmes discussing sensitive political issues to suddenly go off the air. A public campaign to discuss the constitutional draft, including live broadcasts of debates, suddenly went off the air after only a few minutes. It was replaced by a cookery show. And it is common that they [TBC] fill the airwaves with programmes that serve no real interest rather than have political programmes that present views that are different from the governments. Some panellists claimed several critical voices (mostly opposition figures and human rights defenders) have been barred from appearing on TBC. The state broadcaster itself has been forced to pull the plug on popular programmes, mainly when they are unable to control what guests might say. One panellist described how one popular slot on the news disappeared: TBC used to have a commentary slot called In Between the News, where an expert or analyst would be invited to comment about some important news development. At one time, the president pardoned people who had squandered public money. An activist was called to comment on the decision. Before going on air, he was told, “Today you have to be positive and praise the government for doing something good”. But once on the air, he said it was wrong for a presidential pardon to be granted before any court trial to find the accused guilty or exonerate them. From that day, In Between the News was killed. 42 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TANZANIA 2019