Govt touts media accountability
DAR ES SALAAM: MINISTER for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Pro- fessor Palamagamba Kabudi yesterday urged media outlets and stakeholders in the country to adhere to professional ethics and embrace creativity by investing in latest technolo- gies.
The minister also asked media stakeholders to collaborate with the government in advocating national development agenda for sustainable development.
Prof Kabudi was speak- ing in Dar es Salaam during a familiarisation meeting with stakeholders in the media sector.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan recently appointed Prof Kabudi to head the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports.
The Head of State moved Prof Kabudi from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs. Prof Kabudi insisted that in line with ethical considerations, enhancing transparency and trust are essential to curb misinformation and incitement that could jeopardise peace, security and the country’s image.
On investing in latest tech- nologies, Prof Kabudi urged media outlets and stakeholders to implement sustainable strategies that will improve their efficiency and strengthen resilience of the competitive sector’s economy.
“The government recog- nises the media sector’s significant contribution to the country’s development, promoting transparency and fostering accountability.
This is a key reason why we must continue to prioritise and strengthen the media sector on a daily basis,” said Prof Kabudi.
He explained the signifi- cant successes achieved dur- ing the sixth phase government under President Samia’s leadership, guided by her 4R philosophy, which is rooted in the principles established by Mwalimu Nyerere.
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He said under her leadership, Tanzania has improved its press freedom ranking, moving from 123rd place in 2023 to 97th place this year.
Prof Kabudi attributed the achievements to the government’s collaboration with media stakeholders, which has led to amendments to the Media Services Act and investment laws designed to benefit local investors.
He also noted the estab- lishment of the Journalists Accreditation Board as one of the key efforts made to enhance professionalism in the sector.
The minister insisted that the media sector serves as a crucial pillar in the country’s development.
He highlighted its vital role in upholding accountability, noting that journalists have a responsibility to inform the public while respecting the constitutional boundaries of press freedom.
He commended President Samia for establishing a task force to address the economic challenges faced by journalists and the media industry.
He assured that all recommendations from the task force would be fully implemented to ensure journalists receive their rightful entitlements, including better remuneration, health insur- ance and contracts.
The minister also directed the Accreditation Board, which he plans to launch in January next year, to oversee professionalism and ethical standards.
Prof Kabudi insisted that the goal is to nurture journalists through essential training and capacity-building initia- tives.
He also encouraged journalists to specialise in other professional fields to enhance the quality of their reporting.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary and Chief Government Spokesperson, Gerson Msigwa, acknowledged that despite setbacks, the media sector has seen substantial growth, including the expan- sion of media outlets, which have increased to 10,023 and employed about 2,000 people.
He assured that the government continues to engage with stakeholders to ensure the media flourishes and con- tributes significantly to the country’s socio-economic and political development.
On his part, the Tanzania Editors Forum Chairperson, Deodatus Balile asked the Ministry to continue working closely with the media to ad- dress various challenges.
