Author: CHRISTINA MSEJA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has suspended the operations of Wasafi FM radio for seven days with effect from today.
Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, TCRA Director General Eng James Kilaba said the station was penalized for violation of rules, regulations and licensing conditions.
He directed the station not to run any programme but instead use yesterday’s airtime to run an apology to the general public for violating the rules.
The director general said that between 08:00 and 11:00am on August 4, and between 4pm and 6pm afternoon on August 11,Wasafi FM, through their programmes (Mashamsham and The Switch), aired content that used abusive and disrespectful language was unsuitable for the community.
Regulation No. 11 (1) (c) and (d) of the Electronic and Postal Communication Regulations (radio and television broadcasting regulations, 2018) require the content pro vider to ensure that it broadcasts content with decent language.
He said Regulation No. 29 (d) of the Electronic and Postal Communications Regulations (radio and television broadcasting content 2018) prohibits a content provider from publishing offensive and obscene content.
Eng Kilaba noted that service providers should comply with the conditions, licence terms and instructions provided by TCRA in the publication of their programmes content.
“If Wasafi FM fails, rejects or defies this decision, further legal and regulatory action will be taken against it,” he stressed.
He further said that the decision taken against Wasafi FM should serve as a wake-up call on the station not to repeat the offences.
Eng Kilaba has also called on all broadcasters to adhere to all broadcasting regulations with a view to protecting the country’s moral interests.
