Cleaning Up Rajapaksa-Media Values

By Ranga Kalansooriya –May 8, 2015 

Dr Ranga Kalansooriya

Many eye browsers certainly were raised following a comment by an (non-media related) state official during a high level meeting of State media heads along with a top politician previous week, several participants told this columnist. Ironically the top politician has left the meeting for a while when this incident has allegedly happened but a heated argument between this particular official and a State media representative was cooled down by another top official and several others.

What was the issue? The official has accused a particular state media station alleging that it is has not understood the political line of the government and does not follow the necessary news protocol.

What is this particular news protocol for this official? Always news bulletin should start with the President. The concerned media person has argued that the state media should not necessarily follow the government protocol line-up in their news agenda, but the only guiding framework should be the news value. One of the main accusations on the previous regime had been the misuse of state media and thus the January 8 change was to bring a new state media culture as well, the state media head has argued. Things should not be repeated under the new regime, it had been highlighted during the meeting.

The role of State media has been a core issue within the discussion of media reforms in Sri Lanka. There had been several discourses on the issue for the past couple of decades but nothing has worked while the status of the state media has been deteriorated. Not only the standards of the content, but the conduct of its practitioners too, went beyond acceptable norms. Some editors and journalists of state media institutions became speakers on Rajapaksa political platform while others went to the extent of conducting press conferences supporting Rajapaksa.

There are several interesting aspects to this drama from different perspectives but some key concerns are of paramount importance for benefit of the society at large.Read More