Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute

Press Freedom and Globalisation
for open information policy. The review is expected to conclude in 2006. 68 The most
important laws are The Penal Code (on sedition), The National Security Act, The
Newspapers Act, The Broadcasting Service Act, Prisons Act 69 and a new Terrorism Act. 70
Tanzania was a socialistic one-party state under President Julius K. Nyerere. In 1992 a
liberalisation process including the media started and media’s role in development was
emphasised. An experience from the time before 1992 was how political dependency
reduced trust in media resulting in declined circulation. 71 Still, after liberalisation, the
media experienced harassment, searching, questioning, imprisonment and even stripping of
citizenship. At the same time, journalists friendly to government received favours such as
transport and access to information. 72
Tanzania is, except South Africa, the African country south of Sahara with the
largest diversified media industry. 73 Regarding quality, Tanzanian media do not have such
a prominent position in Africa. It is noteworthy that Tanzania in 2004 waived some taxes
on the media industry. In addition, The Media Council established in 1999 contributed
significantly to conflict mediation. The number of media cases in courts declined
considerably. 74
Forces Around Press Freedom
Three forces have surrounded the growth of press freedom in East Africa. First, is
ownership in general as well as global media and foreign owners’ impact on press
68
Oral interview with Theophil Makunga, Consulting Editor of Taifa Leo, Nation Media Group Ltd. in
Kenya, e-mail: tmakunga@nation.co.ke. Former Editor-in-Chief of Majira and Managing Editor of
Mwananchi, both Tanzanian newspapers. Interview with him at Nation Centre in Nairobi 1 st March, 2005,
about press freedom in Tanzania.
69
Kilimwiko and Mapunda (eds.), A handbook on the State of the Media in Tanzania, pp. 1-9.
70
Oral interview with Makunga.
71
Ochieng, I Accuse the Press, p. 123.
72
International Press Institute, IPI Report 2003, pp. 48; and oral interview with Makunga.
73
Kivikuru, Ullamaija, “From State Socialism to Deregulation” in Boyd-Barrett, Oliver and Rantanen, Terhi
(eds.), The Globalization of News (New Delhi/London: Sage Publications, 1998), pp. 140-141; and
Kilimwiko and Mapunda (eds.), A handbook on the State of the Media in Tanzania, pp. vii.
74
Oral interview with Makunga.
90