Looking at journalism from a critical prism

Journalism as a profession in Tanzania has for years been scrutinized for justified and unjustified reasons. However, it would be remiss if we downplayed the spotlight that the proverbial “fourth estate” is attracting at the moment. When they say “hear it from the horse’s mouth,” in this instance, the critical approach is orchestrated by a team of journalists.

Our lead story in The Citizen’s Saturday, December 9 edition has evoked varied emotions from media stakeholders and practitioners.

When journalists decide to wear political hats and become partisan while still practicing in the media, it raises many questions and casts a dark cloud over a profession that’s supposed to keep the powers that be in check. Vying for political posts is everyone’s own choice, pursued at one’s own volition. However, the stakes are a bit different when that person works in a critical field that acts as a bridge between society and government.

The quagmire here is not whether one can continue to dispense their journalism flair with no conflict of interest. But it’s an innate reality that political complexities will always get the better of anyone who claims to be impervious to political influences and inclinations. You can’t have your cake and eat it too; something’s got to give.

When academicians who’ve dedicated their lives to teaching and have honed the skills of people we today hail as journalists opine against the idea of having a practicing journalist involved in elective politics, it shows that there is something fundamentally wrong.

Objectivity, impartiality, vested interests, biasness—these are all some of the words that can be used in the context where a news anchor, reporter, editor, senior newsroom manager, and editorial cartoonist, to name but a few, decide to plunge into the deep end of the political pool.

It does raise a big question of either misguided priorities, career choice, or being simply egocentric to the extent that the repercussions of your actions do not seem to be the least of your worries.

But as we criticize and chastise journalists for making it public that they belong to a certain political party, a bigger underlying issue needs to be addressed.

The way the media industry is set up in Tanzania is what, in legal terms, is referred to as contradictory ab initio. From a legislative to an administrative level, the media industry is guided by a faulty system that sees the Minister for Information, Communication, and Information Technology preside over the sector as the custodian. Yet they belong to a political party.

Underlying issues

The big question here is, how can one fairly guide an industry in which he cannot be said to be entirely unbiased in his mandate? Perhaps there is no easy answer to this. But, what we can do is reflect on some of the aspirations we have for this sector and then decide whether some of the deep-rooted challenges are not strategically placed to serve a certain purpose.

But as far as media practitioners are concerned, there can never be any double standards when executing our roles as arbiters of news. The one thing that we can salvage is the dignity of this sector. We shouldn’t auction that away for fleeting desires that will have long-lasting effects and continue to derail the progress of this profession.