SECTOR 1

MCT and MISA Tanzania have also been instrumental in encouraging all the press
clubs in both urban and rural areas to introduce the ideas of press freedom and
access to information to their members.
The Legal and Human Rights Centre has been at the forefront of the 2010
establishment of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders, a coalition of 17
organisations aimed at ensuring all human rights, including media freedom and
access to information, are realised in the country.

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 (2010 = 3.2; 2008 = 2.7; 2006 = 2.8)

1.12 Media legislation evolves from meaningful consultations among state institutions, citizens and interest groups.
The Tanzanian government has appeared to be open to input from media interest
groups and civil society in terms of reforming media legislation, but this process
seems to be very slow, with no tangible results yet. For almost a decade, there
has been an on-going process of apparent consultation involving the state and
a coalition of media stakeholders, which presented a revised Information and
Broadcasting Policy to the state in 2003, to replace the outdated Information
and Broadcasting Policy from 1993. This was implemented in 2003 and provided
a directive about the need to reform laws that are inimical to press freedom and
access to information.
The state subsequently publicised a controversial Freedom of Information Bill
which was seen by the media stakeholders as restricting media freedom and
access to information. In response, the coalition, led by the Media Council of
Tanzania, presented two draft bills to the state notably the Media Services Bill
(2007) and the Right to Information Bill (2008). These were as a result of public
forums held throughout the country including television talk shows, with the
aim of eliciting input from a wide cross-section of society. However, these drafts

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TANZANIA 2012

21

Select target paragraph3