Freedom of the Press 2008 - Tanzania

Status: Partly Free
Legal Environment: 15 (of 30)
Political Environment: 18 (of 40)
Economic Environment: 15 (of 30)
Total Score: 48 (of 100)
(Lower scores = freer)

With no reported attacks on the press during the year, the media environment in Tanzania improved slightly in 2007. Although the constitution provides for freedom of speech, several other laws limit the ability of the media to function effectively. Authorities are empowered to register and ban newspapers under the Newspaper Registration Act "in the interest of peace and good order," while the Broadcasting Services Act provides for state regulation of electronic media, and the National Security Act allows the government to control the dissemination of information to the public. Libel laws impose criminal penalties as a way of intimating journalists. There is no Freedom of Information law in place though a draft bill was tabled in February 2007. In April 2007, the government also tabled the Media Services Bill, which contains changes to defamation laws that would be more favorable to journalists and provisions on the protection of confidential sources. However, it also requires the licensing of all journalists by the Media Standards Board, members of which are appointed by government. The Bill had not been passed by year's end. Unlike in 2006, there were no reports of extra-legal intimidation of journalists in 2007.

The situation in Zanzibar still remains more restrictive than in the rest of the country. Journalists in Zanzibar must be licensed and must obtain a permit prior to cover police activities. The state prohibits any independent radio or television broadcasts, although locals can receive private broadcasts from the mainland. Zanzibar's first independent private newspaper, Dira, remains banned.

There are numerous media outlets, including 47 FM radio stations, 537 registered newspapers, and a dozen television stations. Only four radio stations have a national reach – state-run Radio Tanzania, as well as the privately owned Radio One, Radio Free Africa, and Radio Uhuru – and all are viewed as sympathetic to the ruling party. The government reportedly continues to withhold advertising from critical newspapers or those that report favorably on the opposition. Private firms that are keen to remain on good terms with the government allegedly follow suit, thus making it difficult for critical media outlets to remain financially viable. Nonetheless, even though the government occasionally pressures outlets to suppress unfavorable stories, independent media outlets like Thisday, and even some state-owned newspapers, regularly criticize official policies. While there were no explicit government restrictions on the internet, there were reports that government officials monitored internet content and activity. Nonetheless, only 1 percent of the population as accessed the internet in 2007.