‘New media culture in place’

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

No more blowing trumpets, no more singing hosannas excepting that a new media culture has seen the light of day. Any political party can reach out to any state media and will be given the opportunity to air their views unlike during the former regime, so said Chief Government Whip, Media and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunatilake in an interview with the Sunday Observer.

Media and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunatilake

Q: What steps have you taken to give more freedom to the print and electronic media? You have already unblocked certain websites.

A: We have created the necessary environment for the print and electronic media to function independently. Today a change can be witnessed even in the state media. During the tenure of the former government the state media was biased. It was one-sided news all to hoodwink the people. The partisan approach adopted by the state media led to the rejection of the state media and the Government as well. The state media has now undergone a transformation. When we were in the Opposition, we couldn't step into a state media institution. We were not invited for any program conducted by the state media. One- sided program were carried out to sling mud at the Opposition.

Today even Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva can go to ITN and express his views.

Q: What about expediting investigations on the killings of Lasantha Wickramatunga and several other journalists as well as the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda?

A:As a first measure people want to see the initiatives taken on large scale fraud and corruption during the previous regime. The Government has appointed committees and commissions for that purpose.

Necessary legal action will be taken soon. We have also appointed separate research committees to look into fraud and corruption in state media institutions.

Plenty of information has been gathered in this regard . We will focus our attention on the killing of Lasantha and several other journalists as well as journalists who have disappeared.

Q: The previous government misused the state media for their election campaigns. How could you ensure that such things will not happen in the future?

A:That will not happen in the future. There are millions due to media institutions. They abused the state media during the election campaign.

All these institutions were overseen by a single family and few individuals who were their close associates.

Q: You have invited journalists who went into exile to return. What is the response?

A: I know a large number of journalists in exile who were undergoing severe hardship in foreign countries and were reluctant to return due to death threats.

I invited them to return and fulfill their duty as media freedom was restored and journalists can perform their duties freely.

We have received a positive response. A large number of journalists are pleased on our invitation extended tothem and they have already expressed their willingness to come backto Sri Lanka to exercise this media freedom.

Q: Can you briefly explain the important areas in the Right to Information Bill?

A: On many occasions Minister Karu Jayasuriya who was in the Opposition attempted to move this as a Private Members Motion.

But the former government was afraid of putting forward this Bill. The rulers of the day had many things to hide as they didn't work in a transparent manner.

The prevented presenting this important legislation in Parliament.

Under the hundred-day program, the Government has pledged like developed countries that it would present and pass this Bill as a step to prevent corruption. Necessary arrangements were being made in this regard.

President Maithripala Sirisena has directed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to make special provision to introduce the Bill while the Media, Justice and Public Administration Ministries were also making collaborative effort to introduce the Bill.

When we announced that the Right to Information Bill will be presented in Parliament, various media and civil organisations and veterans in the field proposed to add more features to the draft, specially to get some background information from India as well. Media and civic organisations held several rounds of talks with me and gave written and oral submissions regarding the Bill.

All those ideas were taken into consideration. Excepting matters which affect national security, even an ordinary citizen would have access to know how things were working. This would pave the way to transparency in the country.

Fraud and corruption will be reduced to a great extent and this money could be used to provide relief to the people. What we pledged will be done within the hundred days. After that, we will go for a general election. The opportunity will be given to the people to re-elect the incumbent Government with a comfortable majority.

Q: A fresh code of conduct for journalists was to be introduced in addition to the one already introduced by the Press Complaint Commission. What is the Government's stand?

A: We have focused our attention on several proposals. In the near future, people would see the number of productive measures taken for the betterment of journalists and the country as well.

Q: Compared to journalists in other parts of the world, our journalists have less opportunities todevelop their professional skills. Will the Ministry take steps to fill this gap?

A: A journalist should be trained and knowledgeable.He should improve his professional skills. We hope to set up training institutes to train them.We also hope to discuss with relevant Ministries to expand the opportunities to study media as a subject.

Q: Despite the promised media freedom in the past, there were instances where journalists ended up in trouble when they wrote critical reports. Will it be repeated this time too?

A: What we call upon journalists is to act with responsibility without causing injustice to anybody. If a journalist doesn't expose fraud or corruption, this is a mistake. If there is fraud or corruption, he has a right to highlight and expose it to the country. Journalists should not continue the unpleasant media culture of slinging mud and character assassinating political opponents. Balanced reporting is what is required. What we request journalists is to be disciplined. That is what the people expect from journalists.

Q: There isn't absolute media freedom in the world. Even in England the situation is no different. Would you support the view that media men have to work under some sort of pressure or restrictions?

A: Journalists should mantain self-censorship so should all proffessionals but decency should prevail as other people's freedom was paramount. I don't think even the star democracies have hundred percent media freedom. The media should move forward accordingly.