News

• TMF CONTENT ANALYSIS MADE PUBLIC
  November 22, 2013

  What defines quality in reporting is the content of your story. TMF’s objective is, among others, to increase the quality of reporting in Tanzania. Through mentorship and practical experience, TMF grantees have the opportunity to work on their skills as journalists. But does this TMF intervention really have an effect on the quality of reporting? In the second half of 2013, TMF analyzed the work of its recent Rural Dispatch grantees, Rapid Release grantees and Fellows and compared their work to that of Tanzanian journalists who had not received TMF funding.

  The results of the content analysis show an overall trend of Fellows performing best, followed by rural dispatch, rapid release and finally non-TMF journalists. In some areas, such as sourcing, the differences are impressive: against 33% single sourcing for non-TMF grantees, TMF grantees have only 8% single sourcing. The focus on ordinary citizens and rural areas also clearly tells: 72% of TMF’s stories show an ordinary citizen perspective against 23% for the non-TMF control group, and 80% has a rural focus against a 70% urban focus for the non-TMF control group.

  These findings are helpful to everyone in the Tanzanian media industry trying to improve the quality of journalistic work. Please find out more about the content analysis report here.

• EAC MEDIA AWARD 2013 COMPETITION
  August 19, 2013

  

  East African Community

  CHAIRPERSON OF EAC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS LAUNCH 3^RD EAC MEDIA AWARD 2013 COMPETITION

  East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 16 August 2013: The Minister of State for EAC Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, Hon. Shem Bageine launched the 3^rd EAC Media Award 2013 Competition Wednesday 14 August with a call to both the Print and Electronic Media to act as a source of inspiration and unity for the people of the region in the process of rebuilding the regional co-operation and shaping their common destiny. Hon. Bageine, who is also the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, was officiating at the closure of the preparatory meeting for the 6^th EAC Media Summit held at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.

  The preparatory meeting for the 6^th EAC Media Summit as well as launching of the 3^rd EAC Media Award 2013 Competition was attended by Chief Executive Officers of various Media Houses, some of the top Media professionals in the region, Media Regulators from the Partner States as well as the EAC Head of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Department Mr. Owora Richard Othieno and the Communication Manager of the East African Business Council Ms. Dona Sava.

   Hon. Shem Bageine noted that the role of the media in strengthening the friendly and fraternal ties that have bound together the people of East Africa in cultural, trade and other interactions and exchange from time immemorial cannot be overemphasized.  He said there was need for the media to project to the regional and world audience the positive role, which the EAC is playing in deepening integration and accelerating economic growth and development.

   “I appeal to you to always be factual in your reporting and build bridges rather than being sensational”. We want to ensure that this Community is not going to follow the footsteps of the 1^st Community. We must build this Community on a solid foundation so that when leaders disagree, the Community remains, and you (the media) should be part of this process of building a strong Community”, affirmed the Chairperson of the Council.

   The EAC Head of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Department Mr. Owora Richard Othieno reiterated that the challenge for the media in the region at this critical juncture in the history of East Africa, is to get the EAC closer to the people, to get the debate and discourse going on about the issues of regional co-operation and integration and, indeed, to lead the crusade for strengthening the spirit of East African Unity.

   The 3^rd EAC Media Award 2013 Competition consists of eight (8) categories as follows:

  a)     EABC Chairman’s Award (Business Reporting)
  The Chairman’s Award is given for the best news or feature story that highlights the state of the EAC business climate with an eye on improving the trade/investment environment.

  b)    Green Award (Environment Reporting)
  The Green Award seeks to reward informed coverage that draws attention to the key environmental issues that have a regional bearing

  c)     Best Reporter (Photography Reporting)
  An award for a news or feature story or series of pictures covering the EAC integration especially for reportage focusing on assessing the region’s progress.

  d)    Best Reporter  (Political Integration)
  An award for a news or feature story covering the EAC peace, security and political spheres and examining how these are influencing or are likely to influence the pursuit for the East African Political Integration

  e)     Best Reporter  (Agriculture and Food Security Reporting)
  An award for a news or feature story covering the critical subject of agriculture and food security, particularly critiquing where the region is and how it can enhance these two aspects

  f)     Best Reporter (Higher Education Reporting)
  An award for a news or feature story covering higher education reported from a regional perspective.

  g)    Best Reporter (Health Reporting)
  An award for a news of feature story covering the health sector and is reported from a regional perspective

  h)     EAC Secretary General’s Award (Overall Winner)

  The Secretary General’s Award is the ultimate prize on offer at the annual East African Media Awards. It goes to the best entry of all entries submitted across the different categories.

   The submission to the Award is open to all bone fide practicing Journalists/Commentators from all the East African Community Partner States (United Republic of Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda).

   Eligible work(s) must have been published or aired between January and September 31, 2013. The date for entries is 1^st September and the closing is on 30^th September 2013. Entries are to be submitted to the EAC Secretariat through the EAC Media Centre via e-mail: mediacentre@eachq.org or registered mail clearly marked 3^rd EAC Media Award 2013 Competition on top of the envelop and addressed to: The Secretary General, EAC Headquarters Complex, EAC Close, P.O. Box 1096, Arusha, Tanzania.

  For more information please contact: Florian Mutabazi, EAC Media Coordinator; Tel: +255 785 288428/255 753288428; Email: fmutabazi@eachq.org;

  Or Dona Sava, Communication Manager, EABC, Tel+255 782521377; Email: dsava@eabc-online.com

  Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
  EAC Secretariat
  Arusha, Tanzania
  http://www.eac.int

• NORWEGIAN ENVOY CALLS FOR POSITIVE STORIES
  August 7, 2013

  

  The Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Ingunn Klepsvik, has hailed the Tanzania Media Fund (TMF) for the work it is doing in promoting quality journalism in the country. She emphasized the need to bring out positive stories as well as critical ones.

  The ambassador made the remarks when she hosted the TMF team at her office during a familiarization visit in which the TMF director, Mr. Ernest Sungura, gave her an overview of the Fund’s activities.

  “There are enormous issues that can be learnt from successes in this country. There is much too little emphasis on that. You need to bring out positive stories too in your funding,” said the ambassador.

  Ms Klepsvik also stressed the need for TMF to work closely with other media stakeholders in addressing the issue of safety working environment for journalists in the country, especially in the wake of recent intimidations and assaults.

  The TMF director told the ambassador that the Fund is keen to highlight positive stories in the country through funding journalists who want to pursue stories of public interest. The learning agenda of TMF further encourages learning by positive example, whereby Tanzanian media experts mentor journalists to produce quality work.

  The TMF team that visited the ambassador included programme officers Ms Sanne van den Berg, Mr. Japhet Sanga and Ms Raziah Mwawanga.

• MEDIA OUTLETS URGED TO APPLY FOR INSTITUTIONAL GRANTS
  August 2, 2013

  The Tanzania Media Fund is now accepting concept notes and project proposals for its two institutional grants, the Fund’s director, Mr. Ernest Sungura announced officially on August 01, 2013.

  He cited the grants at the disposal of media houses, associations and institutions as Transformation and Content Grants whose ceiling is TZS 200m/-.

  “As usual, since the Fund’s inception in 2008, our grants are very competitive and are only awarded to applicants who meet our criteria. We are very strict on this,” said Mr. Sungura.

  He called on media stakeholders to apply for the funds so long as they met the outlined criteria and had a strong sense of promoting quality journalism in Tanzania.

  For more details and application criteria about content grants click here. For application forms, click here.

  For more details and application criteria about transformation grants click here. Applicants are expected to submit a concept note as specified in the application criteria.

   

   

   

• TMF CALL FOR PROPOSALS: DEADLINE FELLOWSHIP EXTENDED
  July 4, 2013

  TMF has opened a call for proposals for rural dispatch grants and the 2013 Fellowship. This is the second call for proposals for both grant categories since the start of Phase 2. The deadline for applications are:

  • Fellowship Programme: 15 July 2013 (DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROM 30 JUNE)
  • Rural Dispatch Grant: 31 July 2013

  Information regarding requirements and application forms:

  • Application information Fellowship Programme
  • Application information (English/Swahili) and Application form (English/Swahili) Rural Dispatch Grant
• TMF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM: INVITATION FOR EOI
  July 2, 2013

  The Tanzania Media Fund (TMF) is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the set-up of a Management Information System. TMF requires a centralized, web-based information system to support the grant management process and daily work-flow TMF.

  TMF wishes to engage a qualified and experienced IT company to i) advise how to go about meeting the system requirements and ii) to develop, install and deploy a comprehensive and integrated Information Management System.

  Deadline for submission: 2 August 2013 at 10:00am

  Further information can be found here.

   

• TMF KEEN TO TRANSFORM MEDIA HOUSES
  May 6, 2013

  The Tanzania Media Fund has expressed its readiness to cooperate with media houses in developing creative business models to enable media institutions to transform their operations so that they generate high quality media products.

  In his motivation remarks during the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day in Arusha on May 3, 2013, the Director of TMF, Ernest Sungura, said TMF was equally willing to formulate strategic plans to see media institutions through growth and development.

  The Director challenged media owners to do soul-searching as to whether their media houses were highly appreciated by readers, viewers or listeners but had a weak professional approach or whether they had credible journalists and editors but were still unable to generate enough revenue.

  “You should go further by asking yourselves whether your media houses have existed long enough but still produce poor quality media products; whether they were alleged to lack editorial independence or lacking in organizational and financial capacity,” asked Mr. Sungura.

  He told the media stakeholders that TMF had established a transformation grant worth Tanzanian shillings 200 million for each media house, explaining that the amount was, however limited to 24 media houses until 2015.

  However, the director was quick to caution that the number one qualification for the transformation grant was not the money itself but that the applicants should be motivated by the transformation or structural change they wanted to bring about.

  “Use this gathering today to identify at least one structural obstacle that hinders quality journalism in your media house and that should be your motivation. It is no secret that when we transform our internal capacities, our media will stand firm and be enabled to do its rightful duty of serving and consequently transforming society,” he expounded.

  Mr. Sungura said the move would also go a long way to creating safer working conditions and enabling environment for journalists and editors to exercise freedom of the press.

  Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Secretary General of the East African Community, Dr Richard Sezibera, called on media stakeholders to invest in the promotion of peace in Tanzania and the entire region.

  “I urge all media practitioners to ensure the promotion of peace in the region. Invest in peace in Tanzania. It is possible to have vibrant debates, divergent views and acute differences but with harmony.

  “Invest in telling our own stories. For so long our region and the entire continent has been defined by others. Let us tell our own stories and tell the stories right. Desist from quoting CNN as your sources when you can tell the story from the ground,” Dr Sezibera advised.

  Over 200 media stakeholders attended the two-day commemoration that was punctuated by presentations and brainstorming under the theme: Safer and better working environment for journalists in East Africa. Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda sent representatives. Members of the diplomatic corps from the Swiss and Swedish embassies also attended the event.

• TMF MEDIA PUBLIC PERCEPTION SURVEY
  April 17, 2013

  TMF believes that good quality journalism and an independent media contribute to an increase in domestic accountability through creating an informed public. In order to find out more about the current public opinion about the media in Tanzania, TMF commissioned a media public perception survey in the last quarter of 2012. The survey questioned 2000 ordinary citizens and 200 community decision makers about their perceptions of the media.

  Overall,the public feels that the Tanzania’s media sector is growing and improving over time. The media sector is serving a news-hungry public that wants the media to keep those in positions of power accountable. However, the public perception survey also points to perceptions of shortcomings in the media, both in terms of the content it provides to the public and the quality of the services it provides. For example, citizens feel that politics is overrepresented in the Tanzanian media, while they are more interested in stories related to health and education. In terms of quality of the media, people were least positive about the quality of newspapers, followed by television. Radio was most appreciated. Nevertheless, even radio is felt to have ample room for improvement in terms of their professionality and diversity of content.

  The findings of the public perception survey serve to guide TMF’s strategy in the coming years, but TMF also encourages others to use this information when planning their media programmes or interventions.

  Full Media Public Perception Survey Report.

   

• RUZUKU YA CHAP CHAP KWA VYOMBO VIWILI VYA HABARI
  February 26, 2013

  Mfuko wa Vyombo vya Habari Tanzania (TMF) unakaribisha maombi ya ‘Ruzuku ya Chap Chap’ kutoka vyombo vya habari vya radio/television na magazeti ili kutangaza na kuandika habari za kiuchunguzi kuhusiana na matokeo mabaya ya wanafunzi kidato cha nne mwaka 2012.

  Ruzuku hiyo ya Chap Chap, yenye ukomo wa sh. milioni 20 kwa kila chombo cha habari cha radio/television au gazeti, itachukuliwa kama ruzuku ya mashirika ambapo vyombo viwili vitakavyofanikiwa, vitatakiwa kutuma waandishi wake kutafiti na kuandika au kutangaza habari za kiuchunguzi kuhusiana na suala hilo.

  Kwa hiyo, vyombo vya habari vinatakiwa kuwasilisha maombi yao, vikionyesha ni jinsi gani vitachapisha au kutangaza mfululizo wa makala au vipindi vitakavyoibua mjadala kuhusu kwa nini Tanzania imepata matokeo mabaya ya mtihani ambayo hayajawahi kutokea na nini athari zake kwa wanafunzi na taifa. Mwisho wa kupokea maombi ni Machi 4, 2013.

  Vyombo vya Habari vinatakiwa kutumia fomu za maombi za mashirika (Content Grant) zinazopatikana katika tovuti yetu kwa kuchukulia maswali yaliyomo kwenye fomu kama motisha na kuwasilisha maombi kwa njia ya barua pepe kwenye anuani iliyotajwa hapa chini. Aidha, vyombo vya habari vinatakiwa kuonyesha mpango kazi wa kina na bajeti inayoendana na kiwango cha ukomo wa ruzuku iliyoainishwa. Kila chombo cha habari – gazeti au radio/television kiandae bajeti isiyozidi sh. milioni 20.

  Vyombo vya Habari viwili vitakavyofanikiwa kupata ruzuku hii vitatakiwa kukakamilisha kazi Aprili 30, 2013.    

  Maombi kupitia barua pepe yatumwe kwenye: mediagrant@tmf.or.tz  na ya kupitia anuani ya kawaida kwenye: 550A Kalenga/Uluguru Street, Upanga, (Karibu na lango la kutokea magari Hospitali ya Muhimbili) S.L.P 38266, Dar es Salaam.

• CALL FOR PROPOSALS: RAPID RELEASE GRANT FOR TWO MEDIA HOUSES
  February 25, 2013

  The Tanzania Media Fund is calling for proposals from print and electronic media houses for two Rapid Release Grants to do thorough and exhaustive investigative stories on the genesis of the poor performance in the 2012 National Form Four examinations.

  The Rapid Release Grant, whose ceiling is TZS 20m/- each, will be treated as an Institutional Grant whereby the two successful media houses from print and electronic media will be required to dispatch their chosen reporters to pursue investigative stories on the subject.

  Media houses should, therefore, submit their proposals, showing how they will publish/air a series of stories that would generate debate on why Tanzania had the worst performance ever in the exams and the impact this had from the students’ level to national ranks. The deadline for application is March 4, 2013.

  The media houses should use the Institutional Application Forms (Content Grant) on our website as an inspiration and submit the completed forms electronically and physically to the address below, showing their work plans and budget within the specified amount.

  Each media category – print and electronic should work out their budgets not exceeding TZS 20m/-. The two successful media houses are supposed to complete their work by April 30, 2013.
  

  Applications should be sent to: mediagrant@tmf.or.tz  and delivered at TMF offices (550A Kalenga/Uluguru Street, Upanga, (Near Muhimbili National Hospital Exit Gate) P.O. Box 38266, Dar es Salaam.

   

   

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