'Misuse of media nothing but a crime'

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

"Squandering of space and time in media is tantamount to a crime against the land and the people. They should be considered vital national resources," Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa, one of the veteran media personalities still playing a key role in correctly guiding media in this island nation, said.

Measures should be put in place to instil the global wisdom on media practice, for the benefit not only for the media practitioners, but also for the public who are keen to be well informed.

Coupled with a prolonged internal conflict, which resulted in a disturbed and hypersensitive social environment in this small island, a national media policy must have provision to curtail violence and carnage without allowing such disasters to escalate due to media indiscretion, he pointed out.

Violence due to lying

A media policy, in Mr. Ariyadasa's view, should be able to guard the nation against lying as well. A Policy should be mindful of the prevalence of violence due to lies as an evil force wrecking national stability.

"This form of violence is much more disastrous than physical violence and carnage. Hence, to curb the spread of carnage and violence, a national media policy must be insisted on the media," he stressed. Mr. Ariyadasa, in addition to his expert contribution to the field, chairs the committee appointed to formulate a National Media Policy for Sri Lanka.

This appointment by the present government is a decisive step towards the formulation of a National Media Policy, that would impose order on this chaotic media field and would contribute towards the definition of our national identity.

"Provision should be made in the Policy to persuade media practitioners to recognise their social responsibilities to refrain from foisting such inane effusions on the masses," he stated by adding that a media policy can not directly intervene to regulate these communication atrocities, which are an outrage to the media consuming public.

"Nearly sixty years after independence, the practice of media in this country presents an excessively turbulent picture. And, this amalgam consists of both positive and negative factors."

"A National Media Policy should alter the nation to be constantly mindful of the ups and downs in the field of media and communication, both at local and global levels," he stressed.

Media Ministry doing its duty

As a responsible Minister I did my duty," Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa told the 'Sunday Observer' , yesterday. Commenting further the Minister emphasised that it has become necessary to be extra careful while publishing or broadcasting news which should not be carried without any basis or confirmation from the source through which the information was gathered.

"News should not be broadcast which would result in insults on people of different ethnicities or groups, especially in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society, like in Sri Lanka," the Minister highlighted.

When the Sunday Observer questioned about the licence issued to the ABC radio networks Media Minister said the government authorities were seriously concerned over the issue at the moment and are in the process of considering an appropriate action for such misdeeds. "I urge the media again to be more responsible and reliable, while publishing or broadcasting sensitive news or for that matter any news," Minister Yapa pointed out.

Chief Justice underlines communal harmony

by Sarath Malalasekera

The Asian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) was not given the licence to broadcast news. The affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court was false. The Deputy Solicitor General Shavindra Fernando, who appeared for the second respondent Ministry Secretary, submitted to Court that the broadcasting licence issued to the petitioner (ABC) was void since it was issued to the petitioner prior to its incorporation.

The Supreme Court granting bail for Raynor Silva, the Managing Director of the ABC, directed him to appear in Court on November 26 to explain as to why he had misled the Court in the pleadings of his affidavit.President's Counsel Nihal Jayamanna, senior counsel for the respondent Minister, submitted to Court that petitioner's (ABC) channels were entertainment channels and were not permitted to broadcast news.

The President's Counsel in his lengthy submissions told Court that the petitioner's channels falsely propagated a news that several people had been killed by a group of LTTE terrorists and that the panic stricken villagers in the south fled and hid themselves in jungles. Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, PC referring to the opening ceremony of the new Jaffna Court Complex recently had observed that 'the occasion was friendly. Even the LTTE had some regard for law and order that because they did not fire a single mortar although the Court premises was within their range.

"Certain people in Colombo try to get political mileage at the cost of lives of Tamil people living in harmony. If communal violence breaks out as a result of propagating such false news what would have been the fate of these innocent Tamil people, the Chief Justice observed.

Sanjeewa Jayawardena, Senior Counsel for the Petitioner ABC, submitted to Court that allegations was that the news broadcast had created panic among the people living in that area.

Most of the other radio channels too had given wide publicity to the 'incident', but the petitioner has been singled out for discriminatory treatment, by withdrawing their licence, the Senior Counsel said.

President's Counsel Nihal Jayamanna with Ananda Nanayakkara and Rasanga Harischandra instructed by Athula de Silva appeared for the Media Minister.

Deputy Solicitor General Shavindra Fernando with Senior State Counsel Nerin Pulle appeared for the Ministry Secretary.

President's Counsel Palitha Kumarasinghe with I. Idroos appeared for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission and the Director General.