ILO Enter-Growth launches Media Resource Guide

The Enterprise for Pro-Poor Growth (EnterGrowth) Project of the ILO has launched 'Small Business in Sri Lanka - Media Resource Guide 2007' to facilitate journalists around the country to report on small businesses.

This resource guide is an initiative to provide media personnel with contact information on business development services, business associations and chambers, financial institutions, government ministries and departments that either support or are within the small enterprise sector in Sri Lanka.

"We trust that this information will help media personnel to get different perspectives, views, newsworthy stories and in-depth analysis relevant to small businesses from actors and stakeholders throughout Sri Lanka and thereby improve the quality of reporting and overall content of business coverage," said Director, ILO Colombo Office, Tine Staermose.

"Good coverage of small business issues is essential to private sector development and will contribute to the creation of decent work for all," she said.

The resource guide was launched following an EnterGrowth commissioned A C Neilson survey finding in 2006 that most business programs are irrelevant to the majority of listeners and viewers; Very little coverage (1% of total airtime) on business issues on radio in Sri Lanka and hardly any regular business programs.