Monday, September 17, 2007

Tanzanian Broadcasting Service changes name


September 17th, 2007 - 8:04 UTC by Andy
Text of report by Tanzanian state owned TVT TV on 16 September

The name of the state broadcaster, TUT [Taasisi ya Utangazaji Tanzania, Swahili for Tanzania Broadcasting Service] has changed and will now be known as the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, TBC. Prudence Constantine has compiled a report read by Neema Mhando.

[Neema Mhando] The Managing Director of the organization, Mr Tido Mhando, says the changes are aimed at making TBC more self-reliant in conducting its business as a state corporation.

[Mhando] As explained one of the changes is the name from Tanzania Broadcasting Service to become the state broadcasting corporation, in English Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, TBC. Actually, it is not just because we are trying to become like others [Kenya’s] KBC, [Uganda’s] UBC and others. But I think it is the trend now and that will be most satisfying. But for our part in particular, it removes current confusion between TVT, RTD and TUT. That may be sometimes it was not clear which one you are talking about. But maybe most the important thing is that now the government has played its role in empowering this organization to have the capacity to be a leading broadcaster in radio and television in our country.

[Neema] Mr Mhando said the changes had been made by the corporation’s board, which met recently and also suppressed the position of assistant executive secretary and created four new senior management positions.

In the reforms, Ms Edah Sanga was appointed senior manager in charge of radio, Mr Joseph Rugarabamu appointed senior manager in charge of business and administration and the former technical director of TUT, Mr Harold Limo, was appointed acting technical director, TBC. Other appointments were Mr Clement Mshana who has been appointed director of programmes and acting general manager in charge of television. TBC got a new director in charge of news and features, Ms Susan Mungi, while Mr Ngalimecha Ngayoma becomes director of special programmes and public relations.

The director of news and features, TBC Ms Susan Mungi said she welcomed the appointment as a contribution that requires joint effort in order to achieve the corporation’s goals.

[Mungi] For me it is a major contribution, firstly this is a great opportunity and secondly this a state organization and that I carry the image of the Tanzanian state . I also believe that I do not operate alone. There are people that I am expected to work with, who are here and since I came here I know there is a good team to work with.

(Source: TVT TV, Dar es Salaam, in Swahili 0900 gmt 16 Sep 07 via BBC Monitoring/Radio Netherlands Media Network Weblog)