SECTOR 3

Broadcasting regulation is transparent
and independent; the state broadcaster
is transformed into a truly public
broadcaster.
3.1 Broadcasting legislation has been passed and is implemented that provides for a conducive environment
for public, commercial and community broadcasting.
The Broadcasting Services Act of 1993 was enacted to allow for the establishment
of commercial radio stations. The subsequent national broadcasting legislation,
the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Act of 2003, repealed
some provisions included in this earlier act and stipulated that the country’s
broadcasting services must include public, commercial and community media.
The Information and Broadcasting Policy of 2003, which was undergoing review
at the time of the 2010 Tanzania AMB, is still under review. The Policy provides
for three types of media ownership: state/public media, commercial/private media
and community media.
The Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and its sister, the Zanzibar
Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) are said to be in the process of transforming
from state to truly public broadcasters to cater for all citizens without interference
from government.
“We are still waiting for a charter to be signed in this regard, but in many ways
they are already functioning as public broadcasters.”
Within the TBC there are three radio stations which are TBC Fm, TBC Taifa and
TBC International and two TV stations which are TBC One and TBC Two, while
there are 24 private television and 83 radio stations within Tanzania. There are,
however, very few community TV and radio stations. In Zanzibar there are two
radio stations, while on the mainland, there is one dedicated to the Maasai in
northern Tanzania. Panellists were not convinced that all the apparent community
broadcasters were in fact community broadcasters, as some were partly funded
by government, while others were religious broadcasters.

38

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TANZANIA 2012

Select target paragraph3