MCT reprimands media organizations in Tanzania which relies on gossiping

MEDIA Council of Tanzania (MCT) has severely reprimanded some media organizations and their respective publications which continues to write seditious stories that would likely spoil journalism profession in the country. A severe reprimand was issued at the end of a three day MCT’s Board which was recently held in Morogoro to discuss a growing habit by some of the media organizations which have emerged with intent to injure reputations of some personalities through their publications in the country.
The MCT’s Managing Director Mr. Kajubi Mukajanga said that his organization is extremely annoyed by the habit of some of the media organizations who seem to have formed a tendency of misusing their media organizations for their own mutual benefits and not for relaying crucial matters pertaining to the development of the nation.
According to Mr. Mukajanga, secret groups within various media organizations have been formed and some have waged war against each other in different manner. That is against journalism profession and that of a social ethics. In view of this, MCT has seen the attitude to be useless and that their habit is not productive to the nation, thus this is a sabotage to journalism profession in the country. Mr. Mukajanga described this war as a great hatred that exists among media organizations which he said meddles with people’s affairs. According to him, the habit has taken a new turn following the establishment of a series of newspapers which came into being in recent years in collaboration with the older ones already in market for the purpose of insulting each others. “MCT is extremely worried with the time selected by media organizations concerned for instituting an open competition aimed at abusing each other especially at this time of a special period that is important in the history of journalism profession in the country whereby a long term process of initiating new media laws for media organization and the right to get information is going on says Mukajanga. However, he has warned that, this is not the right time of insulting each other, except it’s time for the media professionals to sit down and interpret matters in deep and effectively concentrate on journalism work in the country. The responsibility of any media organization in the country is to upgrade journalism profession which has serious professionals who are competent enough and who are accountable in Tanzanian society. In view of these facts, MCT is appealing to every practicing journalists irrespective of their media organizations through their professional bodies not to be used as indulgence and bulldozed as inferior professionals, and by doing this, they should remember that the value of their personalities is degrading as well as their journalism work which does not stick to diligence and trustworthiness.
Apart from those newspapers which are competing on writing insults, Mr. Mukajanga also spoke strongly against pornography reporting which is so common in most Kiswahili newspapers. He said news highlighted in these publications has been interfering with people’s life and with direct quotations wherever necessary, but do not give a chance to speak out on one side view so as to balance their news reportage. MCT has therefore reminded media owners and editors of their various publications that, no any media organization in this country is supposed to be transformed and become a weapon of war to favor the interest of the few individuals including owners themselves or donors who helps to finance those media organizations.