Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is a state-run broadcaster that covers both Unguja and Pemba islands, the two main islands of the Zanzibar archipelago. The station also reaches areas of Tanzania’s capital city Dar es Salaam. It consists of Zanzibar TV and Zanzibar Radio.
Media assets
Television: Television Zanzibar
Radio: ZBC Radio, Spice FM
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
According to the Public Investment Act of 2002 that regulates state-owned enterprises in Zanzibar, the President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (as the executive of the semi-autonomous Zanzibar region is known) has the power to appoint the CEO of all the state corporations and the chair of the board of directors. At the same time, the ministry in charge of the institution that owns the entity (in ZBC’s case, the treasurer registrar at the Ministry of Finance) has the power to appoint the board of directors.
In April 2023, Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi appointed Ramadhani Bukini as ZBC’s Director General. Before his appointment at ZBC, Bukini was the Director General of the company Plus Networks.
Source of funding and budget
According to local journalists and experts, ZBC is fully funded through state funding and NGO reports.
Editorial independence
ZBC closely follows the government’s line. Independent journalists generally treat ZBC with suspicion given its collusion with the government.
There is no internal statute and no independent assessment/oversight mechanism in charge of validating the independence of ZBC.
June 2024