President Samia Suluhu Hassan has issued an ultimatum for all ministries and public institutions with outstanding debts to media houses to verify and settle them by December 24th this year.
Dr Samia emphasized the importance of media houses operating commercially to avoid accumulating long-term debts.
"By December 25 this year, many of the payable media debts should have been settled; I will oversee this within the government, and you should ensure your debts are in order," President Samia declared.
She also insisted on the necessity for media houses to prioritise paying their employees after receiving their payments.
Speaking at the second Media Sector Development Symposium in Dar es Salaam yesterday, President Samia assured that verified debts with substantial evidence will be settled.
She called on the Ministry of Finance to expedite the verification process to facilitate timely payments.
The president also addressed the issue of journalist contracts, noting that many journalists lack formal employment contracts despite being pivotal in reporting societal issues. She urged journalists to also focus on advocating for their rights.
President Samia underscored the need for innovation and technology in the media sector, stressing the declining sales of hardcopy newspapers due to the shift to online readership.
The Head of State called on newspapers to re-evaluate their business models to adapt to these changes.
The symposium also saw the presentation of a report by a committee formed in January last year to assess the economic status of media houses and the welfare of journalists.
Committee Chairperson, Mr Tido Mhando suggested increasing foreign investment in the media sector from 49 per cent to 75 per cent to improve its economic condition.
The Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mr Nape Nnauye, highlighted Tanzania's significant improvement in media freedom, having climbed from 143rd to 97th place in global rankings within a year.
He attributed this success to President Samia's directives to review policies, laws, and regulations.
Mr Nape noted that reforms in the management of the Information sector, aided by the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA), have been instrumental. He praised the increased patriotism among Tanzanian journalists, citing their responsible coverage of national issues.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The symposium aimed to evaluate the progress of the information sector over the past year and set strategies for future development.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Infrastructure, Mr Moshi Kakoso, lauded President Samia's efforts in driving development through large-scale projects. He urged journalists to use their platforms patriotically to promote the country's achievements.
"Journalists must use their pen in a patriotic manner, patriotism can bring the country to a better place because if the pen is used well, it will send good news and news of progress to the people," Mr Kakoso emphasized.
The symposium called for continued collaboration and innovation in the media sector to ensure it meets the evolving needs of the public and contributes positively to national development.
In a meeting with the committee last year, Minister Nape announced that the government will initiate instalment payments to settle verified debts owed to media institutions during the 2023/24 fiscal year, starting from July 1.
He acknowledged the significant financial impact that media institutions have faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
"Billions are owed by councils, public institutions, and ministries to media institutions. For those debts that have been verified, the government will begin to pay them off in instalments until they are fully settled," Minister Nape affirmed.
