INFORMATION, Youth, Culture and Sports Minister, Dr Fenella Mukangara has applauded Tanzania Standard (Newspapers) Limited (TSN) as among the few public entities that operate independently, pay taxes and yet generate sufficient profits to pay dividends to the government.

Dr Mukangara, who visited TSN headquarters in Dar es Salaam, said that though the company was operating without government subsidies, it has been able to stand firm in the media industry for a number of years. TSN, publishers of the 'Daily News', 'Sunday News', 'HabariLeo,' 'HabariLeo Jumapili' and SpotiLeo, is a 100 per cent government-owned company.

She commended TSN, which she touted as the market leader, for observing high level of professionalism, calling on the company to continue setting moral standards for others to emulate. She challenged the newspapers to relentlessly defend government policies because that is what the papers were established for.

"The specific objective of establishing TSN is to promote and propagate government policies... constructive criticism is what will make the company fulfill its objective," Dr Mukangara said. She also wanted TSN to establish a close cooperation with Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and Tanzania Information Services as an effort to ensure that it meets its mission of serving the state.

Acting TSN Managing Editor Gabriel Nderumaki said that the first thing he wanted to ensure in the company was existence of strong mutual relationship between the management and employees, insisting that such cooperation was vital in enhancing effective operations of the company.

The company has also embarked on strategies to build and cement up its relationship with other public and private companies. On collecting company's debts, Mr Nderumaki said that they are new strategies that have been put in place to ensure that TSN collects its overdue debts from various ministries and institutions.

TSN's Human Resource and Administration Manager, Ms Amina Lumuli, said the company was currently conducting both manpower audit and comprehensive salary survey deliberately to improve workers' welfare. She also said that her department has also set down a number of initiatives including training policy, resources development plan and performance management system to ensure consistent attainment of relevant goals.