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Climate Crisis Toolkit for Media in Tanzania

Sylivester Domasa, Evalilian Massawe, Hassan Mhelela, Catherine Mackie

Thomson Foundation (2026)

"This Climate Crisis Toolkit provides journalists in Tanzania with expert advice, examples and tips to develop skills and the knowledge needed to expose and cover climate impact stories in a way that engages audiences. The four sections within the Toolkit provide a practical framework designed to he ... more

Mapping Information Environments for Marginalised Communities in Central and Eastern Africa

Minority Rights Group

Canal France International (CFI); Advancing Global Innovation and Learning Effectively to Build Resilience in Independent Media (AGILE) (2025), 50 pp.

"1. In rural areas, word of mouth is often the only information system that works: In the DRC, over 80% of media outlets are clustered in the capital Kinshasa, leaving vast rural areas effectively without coverage. Ethnic minority groups such as the Batwa and Bambuti rated the relevance of the infor ... mation they receive at 0.5 out of 3, considering it to be "never relevant”. In these communities, access to information depends less on digital innovation than on trusted local networks: local leaders, women’s groups, grassroots organisations. These systems re resilient, but they are not infallible - information shared informally can be incomplete, delayed, or distorted before it reaches its intended audience. AGILE will support more accessible and inclusive information by working with trusted local intermediaries, community networks, and communication channels that already form the backbone of information access for marginalised communities. 2. Radio is still the backbone of information access – and it is under threat: In Uganda, 87% of respondents reported having a working radio at home. In Zambia, around 60% of the population listens to radio daily. In the DRC, more than 4,000 radio stations serve communities across the country. In a region where digital access remains unequal, radio is not a legacy medium - it is the primary information lifeline for millions. But this ecosystem is now under severe pressure. Following the cut to US foreign aid in 2025, community radio stations, that relied primarily on this funding source, face an uncertain future. Where community radio disappears, so does the locally rooted, trusted voice that keeps misinformation in check and civic life alive. AGILE will work with community radios, local organisations, and trusted community networks to help information reach people in more accessible and relevant ways. 3. Language is the most underestimated barrier, and communities have a clear ask: When asked what would most improve the information they receive, communities across all four countries gave a consistent answer: Translate it into our languages, and simplify it. Language is the decisive and most consistently underestimated barrier to information access. Official communications, media broadcasts, and humanitarian messages are routinely produced in dominant administrative languages that large parts of the population do not fully understand. Even where people speak the dominant language, technical jargon and bureaucratic phrasing can produce near-total incomprehension. On average, marginalised community members report understanding the language used in information only “sometimes”. In the DRC, ethnic minorities rate their comprehension between “rarely” and “sometimes”. In Tanzania, Hadzabe and Akie communities whose languages are oral and rarely represented in any media, rate their comprehension at the bottom of the scale. In contrast, Zambia is the only country where ethnic minorities rated their language comprehension as "often" adequate, a direct result of community radio broadcasting in multiple local languages. Respondents described asking their school-going children to explain official broadcasts, or depending on religious leaders or NGO staff to interpret messages. As information passes through multiple intermediaries, it can be delayed, simplified, or distorted - sometimes significantly - before reaching the people who need it. AGILE will prioritise multilingual, audio-first, and simplified content production across all activities co-designed with community radios, women's groups, and disability organisations to ensure that the needs of different communities are better reflected. 4. When information doesn't reflect communities' realities, they stop trusting it - or stop receiving it altogether: Accuracy is necessary but not sufficient. Communities are more likely to engage with - and trust - information when it reflects their realities and responds to their everyday concerns. When it doesn't, they disengage. Women across all four countries described a consistent pattern: stories about gender issues may be factually correct, but they "fail to reflect women's lived realities, rendering them irrelevant”. In the DRC, women's comprehension of information is rated as “rarely” adequate - not because they cannot understand the language, but because the content does not speak to their lives. The pattern is even sharper for some ethnic minorities. Maasai respondents described appearing in the media “rarely on their own terms” - their way of life consistently framed as a problem to be solved, rather than a legitimate system with its own logic and history. Several communities reported being exposed to derogatory language and hate speech in the way they are described in media. For people with disabilities, the exclusion takes a different form: the near-total absence of accessible formats. Across all four countries, sign language, braille, and audio-adapted content remain the exception rather than the rule. Information that cannot be accessed cannot be trusted - or used. AGILE will work more closely with marginalised communities to ensure their perspectives, experiences, and ways of understanding information are reflected in media and communication efforts. 5. Inclusive reporting already exists but journalists still face major barriers: Across all four countries, many journalists and media professionals recognise the importance of more inclusive, community-focused reporting. The mapping found this awareness to be widespread - the gap is not one of knowledge or intent, but of resources and conditions. Putting inclusive reporting into practice remains difficult. Covering remote communities takes time and money that most newsrooms do not have. Editorial priorities favour urban, mainstream audiences. In Zambia, several journalists described stories about marginalised communities as regularly sidelined because they are considered “unprofitable”. In the DRC and Tanzania, political and legal pressures further narrow the space for sensitive reporting. The result is a gap between what journalists know needs to happen, and what the system allows them to do. AGILE will support media professionals, community radios, and local organisations to strengthen inclusive reporting practices, improve community engagement, and produce information that is more accessible, relevant, and responsive to the needs of marginalised communities." (https://cfi.fr/en/news/5-things-we-learned-about-access-information-underserved-communities-central-and-eastern-africa) more

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Privacy Scorecard Review 2024: Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda
Deep Insights

Kampala: Unwanted Witness (2025), 117 pp.

"The evolving digital landscape across East Africa and beyond underscores the critical need for robust data protection and privacy frameworks. While countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, and Zimbabwe have made significant progress in establishing legal and institutional mechanisms to sa ... feguard personal data, challenges remain in enforcement, compliance, and public awareness. Kenya, despite being a leader in the region’s digital economy, continues to grapple with regulatory gaps, non-compliance, and weak enforcement of its Data Protection Act. The rise of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) necessitates stronger regulatory oversight, aligning with international best practices, including the GDPR and the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. For Rwanda, ethical data governance is paramount in its rapidly digitalizing economy. Ensuring that privacy, dignity, and autonomy are upheld requires the active participation of government, the private sector, civil society, and citizens. This report has evaluated Rwanda’s Data Privacy and Protection Law, identifying both strengths and areas for improvement, particularly in compliance and enforcement across different sectors. Tanzania has demonstrated a commitment to data privacy through its Personal Data Protection and Privacy Act, but challenges in its legal and institutional frameworks hinder full implementation. Strengthening these frameworks by incorporating international legal obligations, particularly through the Malabo Convention, would enhance Tanzania’s data protection regime. Mauritius has taken commendable steps in aligning its Data Protection Act (DPA) 2017 with international standards, but translating this framework into effective protections remains a challenge. Inconsistencies in data collection, lack of transparency, and insufficient public awareness have impeded progress. To address these gaps, Mauritius must focus on legislative refinements, institutional strengthening, enforcement mechanisms, and public education. A comprehensive data breach response framework and active engagement in global data protection forums would further solidify its position as a regional leader in data protection. Zimbabwe’s Data Protection Act, though relatively new, has introduced significant measures to protect data subjects. There is an increasing recognition of data privacy rights across various sectors, with businesses and government agencies adopting privacy policies. However, challenges persist, including the lack of transparency reports and weak internal data breach resolution mechanisms. Strengthening compliance frameworks and promoting greater accountability are essential to fostering a more secure digital ecosystem. As digital economies continue to expand, cross-stakeholder collaboration is essential to ensuring that data protection is not just a legal requirement but a practical reality. Governments must strengthen regulatory oversight, businesses must prioritize compliance and transparency, and civil society must demand accountability and advocate for user rights. The protection of personal data is not just a legal obligation but a fundamental human right. Countries in the region have the opportunity to enhance digital trust, drive innovation, and foster economic growth by continuously refining their data protection laws and enforcement mechanisms. Moving forward, sustained efforts in policy development, international cooperation, and public engagement will be crucial in shaping a secure and privacy-conscious digital future." (Conclusion) more

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The African Book Industry: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities for Growth
Deep Insights

Paris: UNESCO (2025), 249 pp.

"Thanks to its outstanding literary talent and growing number of success stories, Africa’s book industry holds immense potential. Although the continent as a whole still relies heavily on imports and foreign publishing houses, it accounted for 5.4% of the global publishing market in 2023, generati ... more

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ICTs, Smallholder Agriculture and Farmers’ Livelihood Improvement in Developing Countries: Evidence from Tanzania

Gabriel Kanuti Ndimbo, Lerong Yu, Andam Andin Ndi Buma

Information Development, volume 41, issue 2 (2025), pp. 368-387

"Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are among the profound tools to help the poor and marginalized rural smallholder farmers make a difference in their lives. This paper seeks to understand how the recent development of ICTs helps increase agricultural productivity and improve smallho ... more

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Journalism under Duress: Worlds of Journalism Study Report (Wave 3: 2021–2025)
Deep Insights

Thomas Hanitzsch, Folker Hanusch, Corinna Lauerer, Vera Slavtcheva-Petkova (eds.)

Munich: Ludwig-Maximilian Universität (LMU), WJS Center (2025), 371 pp.

"This report presents findings from the third wave of the Worlds of Journalism Study (WJS3), conducted between 2021 and 2025. In this iteration, we focused on journalists’ perceptions of risk and uncertainty in their profession and sought to identify key factors that shape how journalists navigate ... more

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The world needs to learn from Indigenous wisdom

D+C: Development and Cooperation, issue 9 (2025), pp. 25-52

"Indigenous communities are the descendants of a country’s first peoples. Their stories are often marked by colonisation, oppression and the loss of culture and land. Today, they are fighting worldwide to preserve their identities and ways of life, which continue to be threatened by land grabbing, ... more

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WorldCat (150)

Exploring a Practice-Oriented Methodology for Measuring News Media Quality in Tanzania

Christoph Spurk, Abdallah Katunzi

African Journalism Studies, volume 46, issue 4 (2025), pp. 391-409

"Measuring the quality of news media is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of enabling informed decision-making among citizens. Despite the lack of consensus on its definition and measurement, this paper introduces a practice-oriented methodology for evaluating news media quality across print, ra ... more

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End Term evaluation of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) programme support 2018-2024. Final report

Greg Moran, Marko Gideon

Sundbyberg: Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) (2025), x, 59, 28 pp.

"The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) was established in 1995 as a self-regulatory body to oversee and promote media ethics and resolve complaints over media practice. MCT’s activities have since expanded to include training and advocacy on laws, policies, and protecting key rights for the media. S ... more

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AI and natural disaster analysis: Needs analysis during disaster using Artificial Intelligence by Citibeats, February 2018 - September 2021

Citibeats; UNESCO (2024), 21 pp.

"The main conclusions drawn from the analysis of online opinions during natural disasters in Africa are highlighted below: ● Climate change is one of the main concerns of the African population in recent years. This climate problem is considered to be causing more and greater natural disasters on ... more

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Decolonising Digital Media and Indigenisation of Participatory Epistemologies: Languages of the Global South

Fulufhelo Oscar Makananise, Shumani Eric Madima (eds.)

Oxford: Routledge (2024), xvi, 210 pp.

"The book provides valuable insights on decolonising the digital media landscape and the indigenisation of participatory epistemologies to continue the legacies of indigenous languages in the global South. It is one of its kind as it climaxes that the construction phase of self-determining and redef ... more

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Discourses on Electoral Law Reform in Tanzania’s Social Media: A Case of Two Selected Twitter(X) Accounts, JamiiForums and Maria Sarungi

Leonard Kondobole

Nyegezi-Malimbe: St Augustine University of Tanzania, Master Thesis (2024), vii, v, 185 pp.

"This research examines the political discourse surrounding electoral law and constitutional reforms in Tanzania, utilizing Jürgen Habermas's Public Sphere Theory as the theoretical lens. Employing critical discourse analysis (CDA), the study analyzes social media discussions, particularly on Twitt ... more

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Africa Privacy Report 2023/2024: A Review of Policy Trends and Digital Frontiers in the Data Protection Landscape

Linda Bonyo, Jorge Clarke, Risper Onyango et al.

Nairobi: Lawyers Hub (2024), 46 pp.

External Link (176)

Google Scholar (181)

WorldCat (195)

Disability and Media: An African Perspective

Tafadzwa Rugoho (ed.)

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2024), xvii, 269 pp.

"This book seeks to expand some of the existing, often western and Global North facing, scholarship in the area of Disability and Media Studies to include African perspectives. Featuring predominantly Africa-based contributors, it studies an array of topics on disability and media in Africa, includi ... more

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Mapping and analysis of ODA to media and the information environment
Deep Insights

Laure-Hélène Piron

Paris: OECD; OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) (2024), 101 pp.

"Laure-Hélène Piron (The Policy Practice Director) undertook an analysis of official development assistance to media and the information environment for the Governance Network of the OECD Development Assistance Committee which was published in June 2024. The report shows that the rhetoric of gover ... more

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The State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa 2024

Reyhana Masters, Nqaba Matshazi, Kholwani Nyathi (eds.)

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) (2024), 106 pp.

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Radio Kwizera: Media development in crisis regions

Sheila Mysorekar

Deutsche Welle DW Akademie, March 12 (2024)

"Kwizera" means hope. Since 2020, DW Akademie has been supporting a radio station of the same name in northwestern Tanzania. It provides vital information to refugees and the surrounding communities." (Introduction)

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Sauti za Waandishi: Journalists’ voices. A survey of Tanzanian media practitioners

Dar es Salaam: Twaweza East Africa (2024), 20 pp.

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Baseline report on media coverage of solar energy and productive use of solar energy in agriculture in East Africa

Brian Ssenabulya, Darius Mukiza, George W. Lugalambi

Kampala: African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) (2023), 23 pp.

"The study examines the coverage of solar energy in East African news media, specifically focusing on 63 stories from a leading daily newspaper and television station in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from January to December 2023. Reporters and editors have reported limited coverage of solar energy du ... more

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Transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting

Geneva: ITU (2023), 239 pp.

"The purpose of this Report is to help the countries that are in the process of migrating from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting. The Report examines the reasons why this is happening and the technologies involved. It provides an overview of digital terrestrial sound and television broadc ... more

Privacy Scorecard Review 2024: Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda Deep Insights

The African Book Industry: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities for Growth Deep Insights

Journalism under Duress: Worlds of Journalism Study Report (Wave 3: 2021–2025) Deep Insights

Mapping and analysis of ODA to media and the information environment Deep Insights

Privacy Scorecard Review 2024: Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda
Deep Insights

The African Book Industry: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities for Growth
Deep Insights

Journalism under Duress: Worlds of Journalism Study Report (Wave 3: 2021–2025)
Deep Insights

Mapping and analysis of ODA to media and the information environment
Deep Insights