Africa-Press – Tanzania. AHEAD of the General Election, media owners and reporters have been urged to embrace situational leadership-an approach that calls for flexibility and adaptability to ensure impactful, professional and credible election coverage.
Speaking during the launch of BSM Washauri’s Academy, Government Chief Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Mr Gerson Msigwa, said flexibility is crucial for media to leverage the digital revolution to sustain their operations, while maintaining professionalism during and after the election period.
The BSM Washauri is a new consultancy firm with a strong focus on media advisory. The launch also featured a special training session for senior political reporters and editors on safe election reporting, content management, financial sustainability, crisis handling and leadership skills.
“Media owners and leaders carry the responsibility of ensuring their outlets are economically independent through authorised revenues such as advertisements, rather than falling into the trap of defaming others for quick cash,” Mr Msigwa said.
He emphasised the need for professionalism, urging media outlets to resist political manipulation and avoid bias, instead upholding fairness, balance and objectivity in election coverage.
He stressed that journalists should use their pens to contribute to national development rather than fuel conflicts.
Looking ahead, he challenged BSM Washauri to design special programmes that can help media houses strengthen their economic resilience beyond traditional revenue streams.
He underscored that in a rapidly changing media landscape; only flexible actors can thrive.
Mr Msigwa expressed optimism about the continued relevance of traditional media, noting that despite the rise of citizen journalism and artificial intelligence-generated content, mainstream outlets still enjoy higher credibility due to their editorial oversight and gate keeping structures.
Earlier, BSM Washauri Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bakari Machumu, noted that situational leadership during elections is key for media leaders to respond effectively to industry shifts with resilience and persistence.
“Media leaders must be flexible, careful and aware of when to adjust their approach,” he said, adding that BSM Washauri was created to inspire generations of leaders in the media fraternity to unlock their full potential through operational and strategic readiness.
In a related development, training facilitator Dr Dotto Kuhenga, who heads communication and marketing at the University of Dar es Salaam, highlighted media safety as the foundation of credible reporting.
He observed that safe working conditions enhance press freedom, sustainability and viability.
Dr Kuhenga advised reporters covering elections to take precautionary measures such as wearing neutral clothing that does not bear party colours and avoiding violent rallies.
He further urged them to cultivate a strong culture of information integrity and verification to counter misinformation and disinformation during the election season.
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