Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) was established under the Public Corporation Act 1992 to provide public service broadcasting through radio and television. In 2007, Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam and the national television (TVT) were merged into Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. The broadcaster runs three television channels and four radio channels.A new channel dedicated to promoting tourism by airing programs about wildlife, historical sites and ruins, cultural tourism, and marine parks and beaches was launched in 2018.
Media assets
Television: TBC1, TBC2, Tanzania Safari Channel
Radio: TBC Taifa, TBC FM, TBC Arusha, TBC International
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
TBC is owned by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania through the Treasury Register, a department within the Ministry of Finance that holds 100% of the shares in the company. TBC has a board of governors appointed by the state president on the recommendation of the minister in charge of information and culture. TBC was established through the Public Corporation Act of 1992.
Source of funding and budget
The government of Tanzania provides operational funds to TBC to foot recurrent expenditures as well as to boost radio and television reception. According to the Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports (now renamed Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports), TBC was to receive an additional allocation of TZS 12.5bn (US$ 5.3m) to top up its budget for the financial year 2020/2021. The station also generates income through commercial activities. Local experts believe this income to be under 50%. Detailed financial accounts of TBC are lacking.
According to the culture ministry’s budget documents, in the financial year 2021-2022, TBC received a state subsidy of TZS 14bn (US$ 6m).
Editorial independence
The state broadcaster TBC operates on the orders of the government, being essentially a government mouthpiece. Some journalists agree that it lacks the essential characteristics of a proper public broadcaster. One journalist said that calling TBC a public broadcaster is just “camouflage.” Another journalist said: “The ruling party has a serious problem once you start criticizing the government. As a government employee, you can’t report against the government anywhere.”
As a public broadcaster, TBC has a set of obligations and guarantees to produce and broadcast information, education and entertainment in an independent and impartial manner. However, these obligations are not met in practice. Other than that, TBC does not have an internal statute that would establish its independence.
There is no independent assessment/oversight mechanism in charge of validating the independence of TBC.
June 2024