NEWS BUSINESS IN CONTEMPORARY FRAMEWORK: HOW DIGITAL PLATFORMS DISRUPT TRADITIONAL MEDIA WORKFLOWS IN TANZANIA

This study investigated how digital platforms have altered the way mainstream media used to run the news industry in Tanzania; and also sought to find out techniques that journalists use nowadays for news gathering, production, and dissemination. The study was carried out in five media companies in Dar es Salaam: Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), IPP Media, Clouds Media Ltd, Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN), and Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL). The analyses were grounded on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to get data from news reporters and editors respectively, involving surveys (n = 174) and interviews (n = 18) across five major media houses in Dar es Salaam. A questionnaire for news reporters was randomly distributed to gather quantitative data. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 16. Findings expose minor digital tool adoption, persistent reliance on traditional ways, and underinvestment in infrastructure and training. The study recommends strategic innovation, digital capacity building, and alternative revenue for traditional media to competitiveness in the digital era.