Evaluating Application of Editorial Policies in Shaping News Quality in Tanzania: A Case of Daily News and Mwananchi Newspapers
Bernard Donasian Lugongo
Senior Journalist, Editorial, Tanzania Standard Newspapers, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Peter Mataba
Senior Lecturer, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Augustine University of Tanzania, Mwanza, Tanzania
Francis Ngatigwa
Senior Lecturer, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Augustine University of Tanzania, Mwanza, Tanzania
ABSTRACT:
This study examines the application of editorial policies in Tanzania’s print media newsrooms with a view to shaping news quality, focusing on two prominent newspapers: Daily News and Mwananchi. It aims to provide an understanding of how Tanzania’s print media incorporate the contents of editorial policies into daily operations. A mixed-method, qualitative-dominant approach was used, whereby data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. Data were collected from 60 respondents, and thematic analysis was carried out on their perceptions to evaluate how the media integrate editorial policies into their operations, with the Gatekeeping Theory framing this study. The findings show that the methods of incorporating these guidelines vary, with 19 respondents (31.66%) identifying gatekeeping by editors as the primary mechanism. A total of 21 respondents (35%) pointed to training and awareness programs as methods used to enhance policy implementation. Twenty respondents (33.33%) cited other implementation methods, such as in-house style management and postmortem reviews. The findings suggest that the role of editors in enforcing editorial guidelines is lower compared to in-house training, awareness education, and other mechanisms. The study recommends that more efforts be made to familiarize journalists with editorial policies, emphasizing the effective application of policy content by ensuring a robust gatekeeping role and making editorial policies readily available for journalists to consult. This will elevate journalism standards in Tanzania.
Published in: International Journal of Research in Interdisciplinary Studies (Volume 2, Issue 11, November 2024)
Page(s): 87-91
Date of Publication: 22/11/2024
Publisher: IJRIS
Cite as: Bernard Donasian Lugongo, Peter Mataba, Francis Ngatigwa, “Evaluating Application of Editorial Policies in Shaping News Quality in Tanzania: A Case of Daily News and Mwananchi Newspapers,” in International Journal of Research in Interdisciplinary Studies, vol. 2, no. 11, pp. 87-91, November 2024.