Sahara Media Group Limited

Sahara Media Group (SMG), formerly known as Sahara Communication and Publishing Company Limitedis one of the leading media companies in Tanzania. SMG was founded in 1992 after liberalization when many private media become available in Tanzania. Ever since Sahara Media Group, with its headquarters in Mwanza, the second largest city in Tanzania on Lake Victoria, has grown to become one of the leading media companies in Tanzania and the rest of East and Central Africa. The company offers the following media services: Television broadcast radio broadcast; live broadcast; Outside Broadcasting Van hire/services; digital TV broadcast and Satellite broadcast.

The media group runs Star TV, Radio Free Africa and Kiss FM. It also used to publish Kiswahili weekly tabloids (Msanii Afrika and Sauti ya Afrika), Weekly Mail, and Usanii . They were however, closed down due to poor sales.

Up to date ownership data for SMG was not accessible at the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA). One of the Group’s founding members, Dr. Anthony Diallo is a member of the ruling party and currently serves as Mwanza regional chairman of the ruling party. According to his Linkedin profile, he still acts as Chairman and CEO, since 2010.

Diallo, who was born on 25th of December 1956, has served in various capacities both in the party and in government. He served as a member of parliament from 1995 to 2010. Until 2008, he also served as a cabinet minister for amongst other Livestock as well as Natural and Tourism, before he left the cabinet so that he could focus more on his businesses, which include a newspaper, a radio station and a television station, and to improve media performance.

According to a questionnaire filled in by the R&D Manager of SMG, there are no surveys conducted to assess the advert revenue for each FTA station. The government provides the company with information and news, however, does not support considerably with state advertising.