SECTOR 2 Broadcasting There are 26 television stations in Tanzania, including two state channels – an increase of 12 new stations since 2010. There are 85 radio stations in the country, of which three are state-owned. There are 12 community radio stations in Tanzania. Two are registered while the rest are still testing their signals and have not met some requirements stipulated by Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) for them to be officially registered. Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation’s television channel TBC1 reaches an estimated 30 per cent of the country, while state radio is accessible countrywide. Panellists noted that it is not so much a question of reach but of the availability of television sets. In Tanzania there are about 300 to 400 sets for every one million people, and an estimated 50 per cent of the population of 46 million has access to television. In the Tanzania Media Product Survey conducted by Synovate in 2011, the leading television station at prime time was the private channel ITV, which broadcasts news and entertainment in English and Kiswahili. The Synovate survey showed that Radio Free Africa, a private station broadcasting from Mwanza, had the greatest listenership in the country. Mobile phones and internet Mobile phone technology is accessible and affordable, with a cheap Chinese handsets selling for about TZS20,000 (US$12.65). Internet services in Tanzania are mostly urban-based and most Tanzanians do not access the internet, probably due to cost. Mobile phones are not used by the majority of the population to access the internet in Tanzania, but this is starting to change as new technologies come in. “Most Tanzanians don’t view the internet as a source of news information, but more for research or study purposes.” However, after realization of the situation, MISA Tanzania decided to establish internet training for journalists in all regions to ensure internet is the source of news. In this endeavour, MISA Tanzania is collaborating with the Finnish Foundation for Media, Communication and Development (VIKES). The areas covered in the period of two years include Arusha, Manyara, Tanga, Mara, Kilimanjaro, Dodoma, Singida, Tabora, Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya, Mtwara, Lindi, Shinyanga, Simiyu and Mwanza regions. However, internet cafés are starting to emerge in outlying areas, signalling a positive change in this regard. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TANZANIA 2012 25