Exploring a Practice-Oriented Methodology for Measuring News Media Quality in Tanzania

Bibliographic Data

ID21245757
AuthorsC Spurk (0000-0003-0950-745X, MediaTek (China), corresponding author), A Katunzi (0000-0002-4606-374X, University of Dar es Salaam)
Year2025
Volume46
Issue4
Pages391-409
Publication date2025-10-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAfrican Journalism Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2374-3670 • E-ISSN: 2374-3689
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23743670.2025.2571504
OpenAlexW4415458678
LanguageEN
References cited14

Measuring the quality of news media is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of enabling informed decision-making among citizens. Despite the lack of consensus on its definition and measurement, this paper introduces a practice-oriented methodology for evaluating news media quality across print, radio, and TV. The methodology utilizes quantitative content analysis based on quality criteria derived from democracy theory and refined by journalism professionals and media non-governmental organizations. Since 2017, we have tested and applied this methodology in Tanzania, demonstrating its effectiveness in tracking overall trends in news media quality and evaluating the performance of individual outlets. The findings from the quantitative content analysis were validated through qualitative interviews with editors and reporters. The conclusions of the qualitative interviews confirm the validity of the measurement tool. This methodology can serve as a model for scholars and countries seeking to study news media quality, thereby ensuring that citizens are better equipped to navigate the complexities of information in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. Furthermore, this paper makes a significant contribution to the scholarly discourse on assessing news media quality, a field that is still evolving

Digital media · Journalism · News media · News values · Newspaper · Tanzania · Media Studies and Communication

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