Browsing by Author "Msina, Victoria"

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    Towards understanding the impact of mass media on culture in Tanzania: a case study of television in Dar es Salaam.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2000) Msina, Victoria
    The aim of this study was to examine the impact of mass media on cultures of the people of Tanzania, taking the case study of television programmes transmitted in the Dar es Salaam Region. There are two prevailing approaches used in this study. These are the conventional approach based on the western positivist psychologists and the critical approach developed in the 1940's. The study area was Dar es Salaam and the data was gathered from a sample of 160 people. The sample method used was a non-probability sample. Other methods of data collection used in this study include in-depth interviews with the general public and owners of TV stations. Survey and observation methods were also used together with reviewing of published literature. The methods used for analysis were both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The study found that television has affected the culture of local people not only because of its predominance, but also for its type of programmes. Most of the programmes shown on the TV stations are imported. The lack of a variety of local programmes in many of the TV stations, leads people to watch imported programmes. Most of the local programmes are either culturally neutral or propagate European culture very few carry programmes that support local culture. Hence, it was observed that there are a considerable number of people who spend much of their time watching television. These heavy viewers are more likely to possess stereotypes of minority groups corresponding to those on television. In the light of the findings of this study, it is recommended that media producers, who cannot escape the fact that there is widespread concern about what they do, should select and edit content with critics of the media in mind.