According to a Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) elections media monitoring report, which was released yesterday, The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers have recorded best performance for both Ukawa and CCM.
Dar es Salaam. Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL)’s newspapers have been identified as best newspapers, which have so far exhibited a higher degree of objectivity in reporting ongoing general election campaigns in the country. Mwananchi Communications Limited publishes The Citizen, Mwananchi and Mwanaspoti newspapers.
According to a Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) elections media monitoring report, which was released yesterday, The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers have recorded best performance for both Ukawa and CCM.
According to MCT, the election media monitoring was conducted from September 1 to September 10, this year. At least 13 newspapers and eight electronic media outlets were involved in the monitoring exercise.
They include Zanzibar Leo, Daily News, The Guardian, The Citizen, Habari Leo, Nipashe, Mwananchi, Uhuru, Tanzania Daima, Mtanzania, Rai Tanzania, Jambo Leo and Majira whereas electronic media outlets sampled are Star TV, TBC 1, ITV, Radio One, TBC Taifa, Clouds and Radio Free Africa.
The report also identified Nipashe as among the best print media outlets that recorded the best performance.
“The Citizen, Mwananchi and Nipashe exhibited a higher degree of objectivity during the period under review. Placement of stories was reasonably fair, particularly those regarding presidential candidates of CCM and Ukawa,” reads part of the report. However, the report said the three newspapers failed the test of covering smaller parties, which have also fielded presidential candidates. “Reportage of those parties was scant, suggesting as if the general election involved only CCM and Ukawa,” the report reads.
Moreover, the report states that CCM enjoyed a huge coverage in print media followed by Ukawa. Also 65 per cent of the stories came from Dar es Salaam.
MCT added that most of the stories focused at presidential candidates, while Members of Parliament and councillors were scarcely reported. The report said only fewer print media outlets showed impartiality in their reportage, apportioning equal opportunity to major political parties and placing stories and articles reasonably equal.
According to MCT, Daily News and Habari Leo reported objectively, but gave prominence to CCM candidates in terms of space and placement. Other political parties were disregarded. “The two newspapers maintained good coverage for CCM, and opposition stories elevated to the front page only when they were negative,” reads part of the report. The report added that Uhuru newspaper, a CCM owned propaganda outlet, Tanzania Daima and Mtanzania to different degrees exhibited clear bias.
The three newspapers concentrated on spin coverage against opponents of their candidates.
Jambo Leo newspaper also depicted reportage leaning towards ruling party CCM candidates. For the electronic media, both radio and TV stations recorded impartiality in their coverage. However, TBC Taifa managed to take a fairly objective coverage for both CCM and the opposition. The report, however, says the station chose to give different degree of prominence depending on party candidature and campaign issues.
Moreover, the report said ITV accorded Ukawa more prominent during the period of review. It states that 46 per cent of news went to Ukawa, 31 per cent to CCM, while NCCR-Mageuzi and ACT-Wazalendo garnered only 8 per cent.
However, MCT commended ITV for having good editorial by removing negative statements, including attacks on the personality of Chadema presidential candidate Edward Lowassa aired during Dr Slaa’s press conference held on September 1, 2015 and aired live by Clouds TV station.
Furthermore, Radio Free Africa has been identified as one of the stations that largely gave biased campaign reporting, by visibly leaning towards the CCM presidential candidate to the detriment of the opposition, especially the Chadema candidate.
“On September 1, 2015, leading a news bulletin it carried a two-minute scornful attack on Chadema’s presidential candidate Edward Lowassa as a man, who is corrupt through and through. The negative onslaught was reported from Chadema’s own political fugitive Dr Wilbrod Slaa’s live press conference in Dar es Salaam,” reads part of the report.
