MEDIA outlets have been urged to provide balanced reporting ahead of the upcoming general election slated for October.

Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi made the call on Thursday here during the opening of the annual broadcasting summit, organised by Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).

He highlighted that the media has significant responsibility to maintain peace in the country.

 “It is important for media outlets to be meticulous in reporting to encourage citizens to participate in the upcoming presidential, parliamentary, and civic elections,” he said.

He warned that any misinformation broadcast by radio or other platforms could spark unrest in the country, a situation that must be avoided to prevent possible damage.

“Radio, television, newspapers, and online media have   important role to play in informing the public. Every media outlet, as well as individual journalists, must exercise caution when disseminating information,” he said.

He urged journalists to use their platforms to inform the public about the government’s development initiatives.

On the topic of weather forecasting, Kabudi said that weather reports should be updated regularly and made available to the public timely.  

Regarding Kiswahili, he called on the media to actively promote the language, as it has been misinterpreted and   undermined by some members of the society.

The minister stressed that the public should use Kiswahili correctly so that it can be properly learnt by both Tanzanians and non-Tanzanians alike.

Earlier, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports and government’s spokesperson, Gerson Msigwa, commended TCRA for organising the conference which aimed to bring professionals together for exchange of ideas.

Msigwa encouraged journalists to pay attention to the topics that would be discussed by various speakers throughout the conference.

Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Rosemary Senyamule, praised journalists for their significant work in informing the public and promoting government development projects.

TCRA director general Dr Jabiri Bakari explained that the purpose of the conference was to bring journalists together to discuss key issues facing the media in the country.