Warioba challenges media to stimulate new ideas

The Former Prime Minister and First Vice President, Joseph Sinde Warioba speaks during the climax of Excellence in Journalism Tanzania (EJAT) 2020 celebrations in Dar es Salaam on September 10, 2021.

The media has been challenged to present thought provoking news and analysis.

Speaking during the climax of the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT) 2020 in Dar es Salaam on September 10, 2021, former Prime Minister and First Vice President, Joseph Sinde Warioba said any development require new ideas.

He said new ideas depend on research and advised journalists to ask questions which would not allow those interviewed to speak anything as they wish.

He said journalists should research before interviewing people. They should be prepared and know what they want to achieve in interviews.

He recalled his old days as a reporter at the Standard newspaper stating that those days before you go for an assignment you were compelled to research.

He said this should also apply to journalists now pointing that before going on assignment they have to prepare.

It is very important now as the media is facing more challenges with the prevalence of fake news.

With the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, Warioba said there is so much confusion as contradictory information abounds.

While health and medical experts and leaders implore people to follow professional health advice on combating the disease, there are some giving wrong signals.

This confuses the public as to what is the right information to follow and adhere to.

He advised the media to keep reminding the leaders as well the public expert advice on Covid-19 since there is no cure for the disease.

He also reiterated his appeal to the media to report about the people and desist from basing their reports leaders.

The people are always preached by the leaders, Warioba said and pointed out that it is equally important the media should seek the views of the people and report them.

It is not necessarily the views should be on problematic issues, but their general perceptions and viewpoints on development, he said.

However, Warioba said despite limitations, at least there has been some improvements in the media in the last few months adding that the changes are not adequate.