On the 1st March 2004, the Tanzania Development Gateway hosted a thematic workshop on Internet Development and the Role of Media in Promoting an Inclusive Information Society at the Tanzania Global Development Centre.

The main issues raised during the discussions was lack of Internet access, ICT skills, language, lack of local content on the Internet, Involvement of private sector, repackaging of online information and disseminating using radios and other traditional media, e-governance issues, importance of having knowledge /information clearing house for the media sector, etc

The Tanzania News Clearing House is one of the deliverables of a three-day ICT Capacity building workshop for the Media Sector organized jointly by The Economic and Social Research Foundation through the Tanzania Development Gateway and Sharing with Other People Network, a network of institutions and individuals active in ICT for development.

This initiative will provide space for journalist to write and contribute to a pool of stories on development issues that have or may not published in the local media. It is envisaged that the initiative will expose the otherwise hidden talent and creativity in the media sector and also encourage the upcoming writers to compete for fame with the mainstay kingpins of the industry on a neutral and shared space.