Tanzania: Envoy Praises Tsn for Reliable News

By Elkana Kuhenga

IRANIAN Ambassador to Tanzania Mr Mousa Farhang on Thurstday showered praise on Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN), Limited for being the most reputable and reliable source of news in the

country.

"Our Embassy prefers 'Daily News' publication as a news source, because it is the most reliable and factual source of news. Whenever we look for any information, we opt for 'Daily News'," he said.

Tanzania, despite allowing unlimited press freedom has numerous newspapers, which according to the envoy; Present them with more comfortable news reading for facts and undisputable contents.

However, he advised the government to establish a large and robust news agency that will ensure that the world has access to factual and reliable information about Tanzania, insisting that they were ready to support such initiative.

The ambassador made the observation in Dar es Salaam while visiting TSN headquarters, where he met the company's Acting Managing Editor, Tuma Abdallah, and tipped that the Media House could be the basis to establish a news agency, as there is none in the country.

"It is important for a country big as Tanzania to have a news agency that would provide credible and reliable information to the country, its neighbor and world at large. Iran is ready to support Tanzania in establishing and strengthening the establishment of such national news agency for the benefit of Tanzanians," Mr Farhang pointed out.

According to the ambassador, a news agency is a protection of the country's identity as the world is full of diversity, where each and every nation writes or publishes news on the basis of its culture and interest.

"In Iran we have 12 media agencies, where one is government run. Our media agencies work and monitor news. We filter, collect and justify the information spread to the public and we also inform the public and other nations on issues of development and their importance known," he added.

The envoy noted that most foreign media published news focus on disasters or problems of other countries, and rarely highlight their success and developments, saying that news agency would be the solution.

On her part, the TSN Acting Managing Editor told the ambassador that they have been working on that and closely share information with their neighbouring countries, adding: "We have been working with neighbouring countries' media in sharing information to ensure that the positive images of our countries are maintained and encouraged, and negative pictures discouraged. "As a State owned media, we have the responsibility to ensure that no doctored and ill-information have a room to tarnish our countries' images."

However, she assured the envoy that his piece of advice would be taken into consideration.

Earlier, Tanzania had a news agency dubbed 'Shirika la Habari Tanzania' (SHIHATA) that was instituted in 1976 by an act of Parliament to promote national unity, democracy and development.

Its first director was the country's third-phase government President, Benjamin Mkapa, but it collapsed in early 1990s, when a one-party system was being replaced by a multiparty democracy and media industry was being liberalised.