News

• 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.

   

   

• TMF UNVEILS MEMBERS OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE
  February 25, 2013

  The Tanzania Media Fund has an eight-strong team of Advisory Committee members with Ms Pili Mtambalike as the chairperson and Mr. Alloyce Komba as the vice chairperson. According to the Director of TMF, Mr. Ernest Sungura, the members were selected on grounds of their independence on how they operate, availability of time, originality of thought, ability to express oneself clearly and decisively and experience and knowledge in their particular sectors. The key tasks of the committee include advising on strategic issues like development, positioning and sustainability of TMF and also to review and advise on the Fund’s semi and annual reports and plans.

  Ms Pili Mtambalike, as the chairperson of the committee, brings to TMF vast experience in journalism and legal issues. She is a founder member of the Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA) and its first secretary general for the first six years of its formation in 1987. Ms Mtambalike has also worked as a Communication Officer with UNICEF and the UNDP country offices in Dar es Salaam. She is currently the Regulations and Standards Manager of the Media Council of Tanzania.

  The vice chairperson Mr. Alloyce Komba, a trained teacher and lawyer, is a seasoned journalist with 10 years as a fulltime practicing journalist in print media and 10 years as a media critic, trainer, facilitator and consultant. He is currently employed as a Principal Investigation Officer at the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) since 2006 and is an advocate of the High Court of Tanzania since 2010.

  Mr. Aidan Eyakuze who is a co-founder of Serengeti Advisers – a consultancy firm based in Dar es Salaam with expertise in banking, economic, public policy analysis, media and communications and corporate finance, is a member of the committee. Also on board as a member is Mr. Prudence Kaijage who has broad experience as a development worker with a background of having been the Principal of the Tanzania Centre for Development Cooperation (TCDC) in Arusha.

  A mentor with TMF in the formative years, Ms Vicky Ntetema also sits in the advisory committee to share her vast experience in the electronic media from the then Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam and later the BBC. The other members are Mr. Ernest Sungura (Director of TMF), Ms Will Janssen (Hivos Regional Office – Kenya), Ms Marjan Besuijen (Hivos – Netherlands) and Ms Sonya Elmer (SDC – Dar es Salaam).

• TANZANIAN JOURNALIST WINS DAVID ASTOR JOURNALISM AWARD WITH TMF SUPPORT
  February 6, 2013

  NEWS RELEASE FROM THE DAVID ASTOR JOURNALISM AWARDS TRUST

  Two exceptional young print journalists from Tanzania and Uganda have been selected as winners of this year’s David Astor Journalism Awards.

  Features writers Sylivester Ernest, 31, at The Citizen in Dar es Salaam, and Patience Akumu, 26, at The Observer in Kampala, emerged the winners after a rigorous six-month review and assessment of two-dozen locally nominated candidates.

  They now join 12 previous David Astor Award winners as career-long members of an expanding regional network of the most promising next-generation leading journalists in East Africa, supported by The David Astor Journalism Awards Trust.

  “Sylivester and Patience are clearly very determined and talented young journalists who are bound to make great contributions to the future of journalism in East Africa,” said Jim Meyer, the Trust’s Executive Director. “We look forward to supporting their continued professional growth and career development in the years ahead.”

  Later this year they will take part in individually tailored professional development programmes, designed in consultation with them and their employers, involving threemonth work experience attachments with newspapers in the UK or South Africa. They also received nominal cash awards of $500.

  An independent panel of three judges selected the winners after interviewing short-listed finalists in Dar es Salaam on 25th January and in Kampala on 27th January.
  The judges were: Michael Holman, former Africa Editor of the Financial Times from 1984 to 2002; Jillo Kadida, Chief Court Reporter at The Star in Nairobi, who was a 2009 David Astor Award winner; and Oliver Wright, Whitehall Editor of The Independent and former News Editor of The Times in London.

  The candidate-selection process began in May 2012 when all news media houses in the region, as well as local journalists’ associations, media trainers, civil society organisations and former editors, were invited to nominate one candidate each for consideration.

  Candidates were expected to be at an early stage in their career and had to meet certain key criteria, including solid commitment to the profession, continuing to work in Africa as their long-term career goal, and maintaining the highest ethical standards. They also had to show some special talent and flair for journalism, and requisite qualities to succeed in the profession, such as critical thinking, courage, self-confidence and drive.

  After reviewing written applications from the nominees and examples of their published work, six short-listed candidates were interviewed in Tanzania and seven in Uganda last September. Second-opinion interviews were conducted with the candidates’ nominators, employers, and other local sources in October and November, before choosing the finalists.

  The runners-up were Alawi Masare and Veneranda Sumila at The Citizen in Tanzania, and Sulaiman Kakaire at The Observer in Uganda. They each received $250 and will be offered a second chance to be considered for next year’s awards.

  The David Astor Journalism Awards Trust is a UK charity founded in 2006 to promote, strengthen and support independent journalism in Africa. It honours the late, distinguished editor of The Observer newspaper in London from 1948 to 1975, who was a lifelong champion of African development, human rights and social justice causes.
  Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, the veteran anti-apartheid campaigner and Nobel Peace Laureate, is Patron of the Trust.

  SABMiller plc is currently the Trust’s principal sponsor. A grant from the Tanzania Media Fund will support Sylivester Ernest’s three-month award programme this year.

• TMF YAPOKEA MAOMBI YA RUZUKU 435
  January 28, 2013

  JUMLA ya waombaji 435 wamo katika kinyang’anyiro cha ruzuku kutoka Mfuko wa Vyombo vya Habari Tanzania (TMF) katika ngazi ya waandishi binafsi na mashirika au vyombo vya habari mwaka huu ambapo maombi 56 ni kwa ruzuku za mashirika.

  Kwa mujibu wa Afisa Mwandamizi wa TMF, Alex Kanyambo, mchakato wa upitiaji wa maombi ya mashirika ‘utachukua miezi mitatu kuanzia mwezi Januari’. Mfuko una ruzuku kwa ajili ya maombi 12 ya maandiko ya ‘Mada Maalum’ (Content Grant) na maombi 8 kwa ‘Ruzuku ya Mabadiliko’ (Transformation Grant).

  Katika ngazi ya ruzuku binafsi, TMF imepokea jumla ya maombi 379 kutoka kwa waandishi wa habari nchini kote ambapo maombi 141 ni yale ya kutuma moja kwa moja ilhali maombi 238 yanatokana na utaratibu mpya kwa waandishi kuomba kupitia kwa makocha wa TMF. Ni waandishi 30 tu wa redio/TV na magazeti watakaochaguliwa kutokana na maombi haya.

  “Kama ilivyo ada toka TMF ianzishwe mwaka 2008, ushindani utakuwa mkubwa sana. Tutahakikisha tunachagua mawazo ya habari yenye upekee ambayo yanalenga kuongeza anuai na kukuza ubora.” alisema  Mkurugenzi wa TMF, Ernest Sungura.

  Mchakato wa kupitia maombi hayo ya Ruzuku ya Vijijini yanaendelea hivi sasa na watakaofaulu watajulishwa wiki ya tatu ya Februari, 2013 na wao kupewa ruzuku kabla ya mwisho wa mwezi huo.

  Maombi ya Ruzuku za Chap Chap yanayohusu mawazo ya habari yenye uharaka yako wazi muda wote. Hakuna mwisho wa maombi ili mradi wazo lenyewe lina upekee na uharaka wa kuandikwa au kutangazwa.

• AMBASSADOR CHAVE CALLS FOR RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM
  November 28, 2012

  The Swiss Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr. Olivier Chave has called on journalists and independent producers to uphold professional ethics in their work in order to maintain credibility and respect among their clients. Ambassador Chave threw the challenge during the opening of a three-day ‘pre-project implementation workshop’ at Morogoro Hotel on November 26, 2012. Eight media outlets and independent producers attended the workshop convened by the Tanzania Media Fund.

  “I’m a media addict and ardent supporter of press freedom, things which I have cherished since I was growing up. However, I like reading, watching or listening to reliable and researched information that you can trust. I admire your job and I know you work under pressure, exposing yourselves to risks at times but this should not deter you from upholding professional ethics by writing or producing balanced and accurate stories,” said the envoy.

  Ambassador Chave told the beneficiaries of institutional grants from TMF that at times he was shocked and irritated at the coverage of some newspapers that never bothered to seek comments from the other side to balance their stories. ‘Tanzania has a very interesting and peculiar media planet and I really like the diversity of newspapers. The media is a trusted pillar and you should strive to maintain this trust that existed since I was growing up when we would say it is true because it has been printed,” he said.

  The ambassador told the grantees that Switzerland was particularly happy to support the media fraternity in Tanzania in its efforts to promote quality journalism, adding that his country would explore possibilities of increasing its presence in the sector. He lauded the TMF management for doing a great job in its core businesses of grant-making and learning.

  Earlier, TMF Director, Mr. Ernest Sungura briefed the ambassador on the purpose of the workshop, saying it was essentially meant to build the grantees’ capacity on project management, quality report writing, financial management and Monitoring and Evaluation on how to track success stories.

  The media outlets and production companies participating in the workshop are Gaba Africa Limited, Ladyband Company Limited (Changamoto newspapers), Maa Media Centre, Dhamira Communicating and Artists Company Limited, Passion FM, Ebony Entertainment (Ebony FM), ABM FM Radio, Radio Kili FM Stereo Limited.

  The Tanzania Media Fund is supported by Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland through basket funding. Switzerland is the lead donor.

• TMF GIVES GRANTS TO NINE MEDIA INSTITUTIONS
  November 19, 2012

  The Tanzania Media Fund (TMF) has disbursed institutional grants to nine media outlets and production companies, totaling 1.38bn/- TZS. The contracts signing ceremony was held at Peacock Hotel in Dar es Salaam on November 15, 2012.

  Each beneficiary of the competitive grants promised to deliver according to TMF expectations by implementing their projects in line with their work plans. This now brings to 67 the total number of institutional grantees since TMF inception in 2008.

  The Deputy Managing Editor of a Kiswahili weekly newspaper – Changamoto, Mr. Samson Kamalamo was all smiles during the ceremony recalling that they had applied twice but failed only to succeed in the third attempt.

  “Like we say in Kiswahili – ‘mambo mazuri hayataki haraka’ (you don’t rush a good thing), I’m proud that we have joined the TMF family by being one of the beneficiaries. We were patient enough even when our first two proposals never went through. Just like the name of our newspaper ‘Changamoto’ (Challenge), we now have a challenge to write quality investigative features and analyses that will generate public debate and eventually help to reduce road accidents in Tanzania,” said Mr. Kamalamo who is also the project coordinator.

  The media outlets and production companies that have secured grants are Gaba Africa Limited, Ladyband Company Limited (Changamoto newspapers), Maa Media Centre, Dhamira Communicating and Artists Company Limited and Passion FM.

  The rest are Ebony Entertainment (Ebony FM), ABM FM Radio, Radio Kili FM Stereo Limited and the Forum for African Investigative Reporters (FAIR) based in South Africa but the funds will have to finance investigative projects of Tanzanian journalists who are members of FAIR.

  Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Director of TMF, Mr. Ernest Sungura, explained how competitive the selection process was, saying a total of 35 institutions had applied for the grants. “All the applications were subjected to the strict TMF criteria before submitting the 15 proposals to the Grant Selection Committee (GSC) for the final vetting. You should consider yourselves lucky and deliver according to TMF expectations,” said Mr. Sungura.

  The Director called on the beneficiaries to promote quality work through production of excellent programmes, features and analyses that would eventually lead to domestic accountability. Mr. Sungura said in line with building the capacity of the beneficiary institutions, TMF plans a ‘Pre-project Implementation Workshop’ in the week of November 26, 2012 in Morogoro. “The aim here is to build your capacity on project management, financial management, quality report writing and Monitoring and Evaluation on how to track success stories,” he said, adding that TMF will outsource a training group to do the job.

  

  Alex Kanyambo (TMF) taking grantees through the contracts.

  Photo by  Albart Jackson, Changamoto newspaper

   

• 96 MEDIA PERSONNEL ATTEND OUTREACH SESSIONS
  November 16, 2012

  A total of 96 journalists and officials from media outlets attended the second leg of the outreach and ideation sessions held in Dodoma, Morogoro and Coast regions in the second week of November, 2012. There was enthusiasm and concentration throughout on the ideation approach which requires individual journalists to pitch their story ideas at an interval to TMF selected mentors who help to refine their news topics.

  The Secretary of the Central Press Club, Daniel Msangya, felt the ideation approach was the best remedy to encouraging print and electronic journalists in Dodoma region to apply for the funds. “At individual level, I’m the only beneficiary journalist so far in Dodoma region since TMF was incepted in 2008. Most of the journalists were not eager to apply because they thought the earlier application procedures were cumbersome,” said Mr. Msangya. He said the new approach (ideation) was more engaging and gave the journalists a sense of belonging to the fund, urging that TMF should sustain the pro-active approach. Some 36 media personnel attended the exercise at Dodoma Hotel.

  In Morogoro region, 43 media personnel took their time off until late in the evening getting immersion into the ideation approach with a big number of electronic journalists pitching their ideas to TMF mentor Attilio Tagalile. Safia Maftah, a producer from Abood Media, said the ideation approach gave her the opportunity to share at length her news topic with the mentor who helped in narrowing it to focus on a particular subject. “Much as I am a trained journalist, this interactive approach with seasoned journalists helps to hone my skills even more. You listen to rich experience from journalists who have worked at international level and get inspired to do better,” said Ms Maftah, a radio journalist at Oasis Hotel.

  Most Coast region journalists were delighted at the fact that TMF was finalizing arrangements to ensure that grantees were paid their money as fast as possible, including using money transfers through mobile phones. “This will indeed hasten the pace of work and enable some of us to finish our investigative work earlier than was the case before,” said Gustaphu Haule, a grantee that has benefited twice from TMF. Some 17 journalists attended the session at Njuweni Hotel.

  At institutional level, owners and managers of media outlets who also attended the sessions in Dodoma and Morogoro had the opportunity of being taken through the application forms and the chance to seek clarifications.

  

  TMF mentor Attilio Tagalile in session with journalists, Morogoro

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