Citizen Tanzania
The Tanzanian Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) on 27 August 2020 banned Clouds FM and its sister station Clouds TV for seven days after it accused the two of violating broadcasting laws.
TCRA accuses the two of announcing the outcomes of the nomination process ahead of the October elections without approval from the National Electoral Commission.
The regulatory authority accused the two stations of broadcasting misleading statistics that some candidates for Member of Parliament positions had been nominated unopposed following the nomination process.
According to The Citizen, in a statement released by the regulator during a press conference, it was stated that Clouds TV and Clouds FM violated the Code on political party elections broadcasting act of 2015 in their ‘360’ and ‘Power Breakfast’ morning programmes on, August 26. The stations were ordered to air apology for the rest of the remaining hours of Thursday, August 27 before the ban took effect on August 28.
The Citizen further pointed that earlier this month, TCRA banned a radio programme (Jahazi) from the same station for allegedly promoting immorality in the station.
Clouds TV is a private TV station based in Dar es Salaam – a youth inclined station that is popular for its youthful social media interaction segments. Launched in 2010, the station is known for airing locally produced films and drama shows as well as hard-hitting news and lifestyle features. The station is owned by Clouds Media Group, a group that also runs Coconut FM and Choice FM besides the sister Clouds FM.
There have been reports that the station stopped running any content that has to do with leading musician Diamond Platnumz after a major fall out about a year ago. Diamond is associated with Wasafi TV, in which he is said to be a major stakeholder.
Today’s state ban has been triggered particularly out of election results announcements on some MPs. On Wednesday, August 26, the National Election Commission said the station had aired some election results that showed that some political aspirants had sailed through unopposed.