Assessment of the Media Freedom in Promoting Peace in Tanzania

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess media freedom in promoting peace in Tanzania for selected media organizations located in Dar es Salaam. Currently, Tanzania is facing with the problem of media freedom in promoting peace in Tanzania, and is ranked 118th out of 180 countries in a world press freedom index and suffers from arrests, assaults, fines, denial of access to all information, self-censorship, bans, suspension, threats, asylum, etc. The literature review employed were definition of key concepts, theoretical literature framework, empirical literature framework, conceptual framework and research gap. The objectives of the study were to assess media perspectives in the current situation in peace promotion in Tanzania, to evaluate the level of media freedom hindering factors in promoting peace in Tanzania and to identify and analyse the effects from which media freedom hindering factors affect peace promotion in Tanzania. The study adopted mixed approach and employed survey and descriptive design where the population were media organizations and stakeholders of media sector as key informants in Dar es Salaam. Out of 197sample size, only 146 respondents were involved in the study and 10 key informants to gain the data related to the study. Data were collected through questionnaire (media organizations) and interview guide question to key informants. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential data analysis approaches. Findings revealed that the perceptive of media organizations on the current situation in promoting peace in Tanzania is relatively moderate when it comes to engagement of audiences in peace dialogue and discussions, the level of media freedom hindering factors in promoting peace in Tanzania is high in denial of access to important information and moderate on the issues of restrictive laws and regulatory framework, and among the effects that might occurs as a result of hindrance of media freedom, media organizations agreed that abuses of government offices and corruption and human rights violation are the effects that might occur in Tanzania. The study recommended that, the government should review and reform policies and laws that restrict freedom of the press and expression to bring peace promotion in the countrywhereas media organizations are recommended to sstrengthen legal protections for journalists, ensuring their safety, and preventing harassment, threats, or violence against media professionals. Investigate and prosecute cases of attacks on journalists.