President Jakaya Kikwete has urged local artists, sportsmen and women to grab the opportunity provided by Azam Media group through Azam TV in exposing and selling their talents and artistic work inside and outside the country.
President Kikwete gave this advise in Dar es Salaam on Friday, when he was officially launching Azam TV’s Uhai Production state- of-art studio at Tabata. The construction of the imposing facility and installation of the equipment has cost 56bn/-.
The head of state who seemed to appreciate the investment put up by Said Salim Bakhresa Group of Companies, in effort to revolutionise media sector in the country, commended the job well done by the TV station in development of various sports in the country.
He said the launching of the state-of-the-art studio which is one of its kind in the East and Central Africa, will enable the station to provide and broadcast best quality programmes, giving their customers the best service in affordable prices.
“With the installation of high quality equipment, I believe sports fans will have the opportunity to watch the local league with good quality pictures through the High Definition (HD) technology, the quality which will also enable our players to be seen and market themselves abroad,” he said.
He further credited the competition brought by Azam FC in the Mainland Premier League, which has ended the dominance by Simba and Yanga in the country’s football.
He urged other clubs to emulate the ice-cream makers’ team. Azam are the current Mainland champions. Mr Kikwete, who is a fanatic sports lover commended the job well done by the TV station, saying he is happy because Azam TV was not only broadcasting football matches, but it has also provided opportunity to other sports such as basketball, cricket and motor rally.
“I am a football fan and a former basketball player, I know what live broadcasting could bring to our sports,” he said. “The live coverage of Dar es Salaam basketball league, which you are doing, will assist in developing the sport.
It will facilitate the process of marketing our players and revealing upcoming talents. It will also increase basketball followers,” said President Kikwete, who apart from playing basketball, he was also once a basketball patron in the country.
Azam TV has been broadcasting live the Dar es Salaam regional basketball league (RBA) every Friday and also did the same during the East Africa Inter-cities games, which Dar es Salaam hosted last year.
The station has also won the rights to broadcast the Ugandan topflight league and is also looking forward to request for the same to other remaining East Africa member countries, the effort which was commended by Mr Kikwete, who demanded the station to represent well the country abroad.
Speaking before the president launched the studio, the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) Secretary General Filbert Bayi requested the station to invest in athletics as part of efforts to rejuvenate the sport.
“I think Azam can do better with the establishment of athletics club as it has done in football to restore the country’s lost glory in the sport,” said the 1980 Olympic silver medalist.
Former Basketball Dar es Salaam (BD) official, Simon Msoffe acknowledged the support of Azam TV in promoting basketball in the country, saying Azam TV and Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) are unique partners.
Azam TV with its motto ‘Burudani kwa Wote’ was established on December 21, 2013 and since its establishment it has been doing so much by going extra miles to ensure Tanzanians are entertained and informed as much as possible.
By BETRAM LENGAMA, Tanzania Daily News