MISA Calls for Reduced Licensing Fees for Online Media

The Media Institute of Southern Africa, Tanzania Chapter (MISA-TAN), has urged the government to reduce the licensing fees for operating social media platforms such as blogs, online TV, and YouTube to encourage more young people to legally own these platforms.

MISA also requested the government to expedite the creation of an independent media council and a fund to support journalists' educational advancement in the country.

Musa Juma, a board member of MISA-TAN, made this appeal on June 26 while closing a workshop for journalists and media stakeholders. 

The workshop was held to discuss the 1998 online content regulations and their amendments at Silver Sand Hotel in Kunduchi, Dar es Salaam.

The workshop was organized by MISA-TAN in collaboration with Protection International Africa and funded by the Government of Finland.

Juma stated that the current licensing fee of TZS 500,000 for blogs and TZS 1 million for online TV is too high for young people and persons with disabilities.

"If the licensing fee is reduced, more young professionals in journalism and ICT will legally own social media platforms and provide news," he said.

He noted that due to the high licensing fees, nearly three-quarters of the online platforms operate without a license.

Juma emphasized the importance of the government, through TCRA, differentiating between social media platforms that are commercially owned and those that solely provide education and news.

Juma, who is also the Chairman of the Union of Workers in Media (JOWUTA) and the Director of the Media Institute for Public Accountability and Civic Education (MAIPAC), also called on the government to expedite the creation of an independent media council, an accreditation board, and a fund to support journalists.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Government Spokesperson, Assistant Director of Information, Patrick Kipangula, said the government, through TCRA, is still conducting research on various licensing and fee issues.

Kipangula, however, urged journalists and media stakeholders to respect the laws and regulations governing the media industry.

Earlier, while presenting topics at the workshop, lawyers Gideon Mandes, LHRC Program Officer Raymond Kanegene, and Deus Kibamba advised journalists to read the online content regulations to avoid breaking the law.

Lawyer Mandes, besides suggesting a reduction in licensing fees, called for more education on these regulations and consideration of the rights of persons with disabilities.

Lawyer Kanegene, while analyzing these regulations, noted their shortcomings but emphasized that they must be followed.

He pointed out the contradiction of prohibiting the publication of gambling promotion content online while the government collects taxes from the same industry.

For his part, Kibamba stated that the purpose of the online content regulations is to control the reckless dissemination of news and information.

“There are good and bad aspects of these regulations, so it is important to understand them,” he said.

Speaking at the workshop, MISA TAN Director Elizabeth Riziki said MISA will use dialogue with the government and stakeholders to advocate for better online content regulations and laws.

She expressed gratitude to the sixth phase government for improving some laws and regulations and opening up more avenues for dialogue to enhance media freedom and freedom of expression.

More than 33 participants from mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar attended the workshop.