Sahara Media Group is one of Tanzania’s largest privately owned media conglomerates. Based in Mwanza, the company operates across radio, television, and digital platforms, with Star TV and Radio Free Africa (RFA) among its most prominent brands. The group was established in 1994 by Dr. Anthony Diallo, a former Cabinet minister and long-time member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Though formally a private entity, Sahara Media Group is widely regarded as politically aligned with the government, regularly broadcasting content that echoes ruling party narratives and avoiding coverage critical of state authorities.
Media assets
Television: Star TV
Radio: Radio Free Africa (RFA), Kiss FM
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Sahara Media Group is privately owned by Dr. Anthony Diallo, a businessman and former CCM Member of Parliament and minister. His strong political ties, especially during the Jakaya Kikwete administration (2005–2015), have ensured continued proximity to state power. There is no public information about the company’s board of directors or corporate governance transparency. The group’s editorial leadership is appointed internally and reflects its broader alignment with CCM interests.
Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), meaning Party of the Revolution in Swahili, is the ruling political party in Tanzania and one of Africa’s longest-standing dominant parties. It was formed in 1977 through the merger of two post-independence parties: TANU (Tanganyika African National Union), led by Julius Nyerere on the mainland, and ASP (Afro-Shirazi Party) from Zanzibar. CCM inherited a strong one-party legacy and maintained political dominance even after Tanzania transitioned to multi-party democracy in the 1990s. The party has held uninterrupted power since independence in 1961, with each of its presidential candidates winning national elections. Despite growing calls for reform and transparency, CCM continues to shape Tanzania’s political, economic, and media landscape.
Source of funding and budget
Sahara Media Group operates on a commercial revenue model, generating income through advertising, event partnerships, and sponsored programming. While it is not state-funded, the outlet reportedly receives substantial advertising contracts from government agencies and state-affiliated companies, effectively reinforcing its pro-government alignment. Financial statements and audited reports are not publicly available, and there is no breakdown of the proportion of income linked to state advertising.
Editorial independence
Sahara Media Group’s editorial content is consistently favorable to the government and the ruling CCM party. Investigative journalism or critical political reporting is rare, and coverage of opposition voices is either minimized or framed negatively.
Although the outlet has never been formally classified as state-owned, its output is frequently indistinguishable from official state media narratives. According to media experts and watchdogs, Sahara’s editorial posture is shaped by both ownership ties and commercial dependence on government advertising.
There is no internal statute protecting editorial independence, and no external oversight mechanism exists to monitor or validate impartiality in reporting.
June 2025