Media Ethics

A month after hundreds of people were killed in Easter Sunday bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, a major local newspaper published a report claiming that a Muslim surgeon was a member of a terrorist group linked to the attacks and had secretly sterilised 4,000 Sinhala Buddhist women. The story was picked up by local television channels […]

We live in an age when everything is instant. Instant coffee, instant noodles, instant information and most importantly, Instagram. Entertaining content and sensationalized news makes for a more interesting news feed. While gossip goes viral in an instant, unbiased and neutral news items lag far behind. Truth and legitimacy are not fun for a generation […]

The nation’s shopkeepers and manufacturers overall, as well as the tourism industry and other especially affected sectors, are all holding their breath in suspense, waiting to see if and when social calm and stability returns and how soon the economy can recover. The whole nation’s livelihood depends on the quickest possible return to stability after […]

(26 May, 2019/ Sunday Observer.) Opposition lawmakers are set to propose the setting up of an independent regulatory body and supplementary laws to regulate media institutions in the country. The suggestion comes as a reaction to the publication of a racially inflammatory lead news story on a national Sinhala language daily this week. According to […]

by Melani Manel Perera. Television operators invade the homes and privacy of survivors, they “must be educated in communications ethics”. A comment posted on Facebook sparks new violence against Muslims in Chilaw. Survivors must be supported in the long run by specialist groups. Taking care of even the first responders, priests and nuns included. Colombo […]

In a strange twist, the Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka, which has been in slumber while mainstream media of the country were propagating anti-minority sentiments after Easter Sunday attacks, has now come out opposing requests made by the government  asking not to publish  unnecessary photographs and unconfirmed reports in relation to ongoing security operations. […]

A request has been made not to telecast the occasions when the security forces conduct search operations in houses and public places through the media. Furthermore, clear instructions have been given by President Maithripala Sirisena to the security forces not to allow participation of journalists and civilians when conducting search operations and it has to […]

The media is busy reporting on what various individuals say about the draft Constitution, but don’t look at what draft itself says. The media is intent on reporting deliberately false and misleading news regarding the Constitution. There are many forces in the South that are hoping to prevent a new Constitution being passed, and the […]

Image: Duminda Silva, who was convicted for the murder of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was a close associate of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. [During the appeal hearing Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra murder case] the State prosecutors also flagged unethical and contemptuous media reporting on Duminda Silva’s appeal case, and told the Supreme Court during the appeal hearings that certain journalists […]

(11 June 2018) His Excellency of the ambassador, British High Commissioner Mr.James Dauris, 389 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Dissuades those who threaten freedom of expression and emboldens those who stand to defend it Sundaytimes dated 10 May 2018 reported, British High Commissioner Mr.James Dauris summoned to President Maithripala Sirisena’s Paget Road residence.and requested Britain to […]

( Dr Ranga kalansooriya) Setting up an independent commission for media sector it is expected to set minimum salary standards and code of ethics, which will be used to issue accreditation cards in the future. According to the Director General of Government Information Dr. Ranga Kalansooriya, the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media has […]

( Election commissioner warning state media on bias reporting: Cartoon by Lankaenews) Parliament is set to approve on Wednesday, strict guidelines to be followed and policies to be adhered to by the electronic and print media at future elections and referendums in the country. These will include a prohibition on the use of the National […]

The lead news and the feature published in today’s (8th) ‘Irida Divaina’ are a part of blatant vituperation and mudslinging campaign based on fabrications and slanders states the JVP. A press conference was convened at the head office of the JVP at Pelawatta today (8th) to apprise media institutions and the general public regarding the […]

Every Tom, Dick and Harry in this country wants to teach journalists a thing or two about how they ought to do their work. Those self-interested busybodies range from the bigwigs at the very top of the government to the Kachcheri clerks in the periphery and the NGO captains of civil society to the fishmongers […]

(Opinion by SLB) A suicide jacket, a stock of explosives and ammunition found in Jaffna today has given birth of scare-mongering stories in media fulled by alarming statements and tweets by Rajapaksa group. Speaking at  a press conference Rajapaksa loyalist Prof. G,L Peiris has said that “according to the information they received, the explosives were […]

Section of the on line media in Sri Lanka has come out supporting the order by the Government of Sri Lanka to register news websites. Speaking to  weekend Sunday Leader Freddy Gamage, Convener, Professional Web Journalists Association has come out strongly in foavour the registration. His main concern is to get the privileges and rights […]

Sri Lanka state controlled Daily News, the flagship newspaper of the state owned  Lake House  has published a news story on HIV prevalence in a Town called Wariyaola  which says that  “the revealing attire by certain females also tempts males to engage in sexual activities promoting the spread of STDs.”  Further more it quotes a […]

[Photo: Tamil Guardian] Dr. Ranga Kalansooriya – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s last week comments on the conduct of several Sinhala print media have generated a wider public debate mainly in the social media. Premier Wickremesinghe alarmed several sections of the Sinhala print media not to add fuel to racism in a bid to topple or […]