Control of ad revenue may stifle the press
Monday February 13 2017
A newsstand in Tanzania. Newspapers that publish content that does not please the Tanzania government may find themselves struggling for advertisement revenues, thanks to the newly launched Media Services Regulations, 2017. PHOTO | FILE
Newspapers that publish content that does not please the Tanzania government may find themselves struggling for advertisement revenues, thanks to the newly launched Media Services Regulations, 2017.
The regulation, effective from February 3, has made it mandatory for all government ministries, departments, institutions, projects and local government authorities in which the state has more than 50 per cent stake to channel their adverts through the Director of Information Services, “who shall have sole and exclusive authority to decide which medium to use in publishing the adverts.”
The regulation follows the enactment of the Media Services Act last year amid criticism by media stakeholders that it threatens freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
A coalition of Tanzanian media and human-rights organisations recently filed a petition at the East African Court of Justice alleging that the law contravenes provisions for safeguarding democracy among member states enshrined in the Treaty that established the East African Community.
READ: Tanzanian media council takes government to EAC court over new law
Stakeholders have warned that the powers to control who gets advertisements may be misused to control content in newspapers.
“This regulation hinders freedom of the press because when handling stories about the government, editors will be inclined to avoid publishing the truth if it is likely to annoy leaders. They may prefer to publish what pleases the government in order to be considered for advertisements,” said Alphonce Msimbe, a lawyer in Dar es Salaam.
Originally, advertisements from government institutions were channelled through information officers who determined suitable mediums based on technical factors such as circulation figures.
According to the regulation, the Information Services Department can now charge up to 10 per cent of the total cost of the adverts to pay for its administrative services.
The Media Services Regulations has also placed a shareholding limit on foreign companies seeking to run a media business in Tanzania, where they are required to submit to the Director of Information Services a list of shareholders with a minimum of 51 per cent local ownership, when applying for a licence.
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