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| Sunday, 15 February 2004 |
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State media denies allegations The heads of State media institutions have categorically denied the allegations that the State media is being engaged in a propaganda against the UNF. Kesarralal Gunasekera, Chairman, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd, Harim Peiris, Chairman Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Hudson Samarasinghe, Chairman Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, and Newton Gunaratne, Chairman, Independent Television Network have jointly sent a letter to the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake over a complaint made to him by UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya accusing the state media institutions. The letter is as follows:- "As the Heads of State Media Institutions, we wish to refute and categorically deny the allegations. The State media has, in particular since November 4, 2003, been following the highest standards of professionalism with regard to its activities. At no time has the State media been engaged in a propaganda campaign to discredit the UNF as alleged by the Minister. The State media has done its best to provide accurate and balanced reporting, to enable the public to be an informed citizenry. However, the State media has not and will not shy away from exposing corruption, bad governance and malpractices in the government or private sector. Currently the UNP is practising a boycott of the State media and refusing to participate in discussions, talk shows and other programmes that provide a fora for dissemination of news and views. The Prime Minister's Office refuses to inform the State media regarding its events and activities, making coverage of the same almost impossible. In this context, the complaint by Minister Jayasuriya is hollow and hypocritical. Moreover, Minister Jayasuriya and the UNP when in control of the State media, followed the most biased, one sided and partisan media policy ever witnessed in Sri Lanka. President Kumaratunga was vilified and essentially blacked out of news and the views of the President were never presented. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was spared of criticism by all media, State and Private, from December 2001 to November 2003. This is in contrast to the new media policy annunciated by President Kumaratunga after November 4, 2003 and reiterated by Lakshman Kadirgamar recently upon taking office as Media Minister, that the State media would follow a balanced policy which has resulted in a diversity of news and views in the State media and considerably more diverse than in the private media. Moreover, we wish to draw your attention to the fact that the privately owned media in Sri Lanka, due to its close links with the political party that Mr. Jayasuriya represents, has been and is becoming increasingly more biased against President Kumaratunga and partisanly in favour of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and the UNP. Accordingly, it becomes incumbent on the State media to not only ensure an internal balance of news and views within its own institutions, but also to ensure an overall balance of reportage and coverage in the media as a whole. Due to the wide publicity given to Mr. Karu Jayasuriya's letter, this response is also being made public". |
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