Assessing the Role of The Daily News, The Citizen and Mwananchi Newspapers in Reporting on the Constitutional Debate in Tanzania
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This study investigated how three dailies: The Daily News, The Citizen and Mwananchi have reported the
Constitutional debates in Tanzania. The study was guided by the following objectives: (i) to find out
how frequent news on the Constitutional debate was reported by The Daily News, The Citizen
and Mwananchi newspapers during the Commissions‟ exercise (ii) to determine whether the
coverage of the constitutional debate by The Daily News, The Citizen and Mwananchi
newspapers was informative (iii) to analyze the major sources of news during the Constitutional
debate as reported by The Daily News, The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers and (iv) To
determine the contribution made by The Daily News, The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
on the Constitutional debate.
The study used the Agenda Setting Theory and the Framing Theory. It used descriptive research
design to gather content on the Constitutional debate form three newspapers, summarize, present
and interpret them for the purpose of clarification. Purposive sampling technique was used to
select newspapers of 6 months; from July to December 2012 and content analysis used to
analyze 552 copies of the selected newspapers.
Three central conclusions have emerged. The study found that newspapers can be used to make
the public access important information on matters of politics and democracy. It also argued that
the government should not rely on government owned media alone in providing information to
the public. This is because private owned media as this study found, have a role to play in
disseminating information to those who prefer variety of media channels outside the government
owned ones. Finally, the study suggests that the government can use opinions and views of the
people reported by newspapers to understand what the people want and include them in the
Constitution of Tanzania.
Keywords
Mass Communication, Newspaper