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by Nadira Gunatilleke

Question: What is your view on journalism ?

Answer: Journalism is the art of print and electronic media. This includes the practice, technology and other subjects that come under the umbrella of journalism.

In Sri Lanka journalism is in a very whimsical situation. About 30 to 35 years ago, journalism meant only print media. Even today the Sinhala translation of journalism is `Puvathpath Kalawa'. Now it has become a very vast domain for it includes both print and electronic media.

Question: What priorities are essential to be a topmost journalist ?

Answer: Media personnel in the journalistic field must have apt training and a general knowledge on all aspects in every single subject. Asians feel that this is just a legacy that passes on from one journalistic generation to another. But it is not so.

When a parent is a journalist, the children are usually drawn towards this profession and maybe they take to the same, but this is not the case. Unless there is commitment, understanding, experience and above all to write the word properly, one can never be a real journalist.

One should be a dedicated and devoted too and must have an insatiable appetite where news is concerned. Firstly the skill of good communication is needed added with a strong personality and sober attitudes.

I feel that sincere dedication is also a plus point with honour to deadlines. This means that the personal life of a journalist is exceptional on the background and a journalist never has time for complains and is always on the alert, and should never be confounded or fooled.

Question: What benefits and opportunities does a journalist have in Sri Lanka and abroad?

Answer: There are plenty of employment opportunities in Sri Lanka and abroad for conscientious journalists. A good example is when D B Dhanapala, one of our finest journalist told G W Surendra that the sky is the limit for a talented journalist.

There is no limitation to gain knowledge. To be an excellent journalist there is a vast sphere of knowledge to be grasped and determined. Presently there are many Sri Lankan journalists holding high posts in foreign media institutions.

Question: What professional qualifications pertaining to journalism does Sri Lanka offer?

Answer: There are diploma courses available in most of our universities and in many educational institutes. At the University of Sri Jayawardhenapura offers studies upto PhD in Journalism. With the demand for studies in journalism, today many private sector academies teach journalism as a fad.

No gravity, but a trend like going for baseless classes to while away the time and money. There is no trait in many of these so called classes, for as we see how the whole education system in this country is turning topsy-turvey. I say this because the ninth-grade students are taught about Harold Laswel's model of communication. This should be taught for MA students.

Question: What recognition do journalists have in Sri Lanka and overseas?

Answer: Due recognition is spontaneous to factual journalists. There is no such problem as in dignity and due recognition. Two journalists who covered the `Watergate Case' is a good example for recognition. They became most sort after young people in the world.

The journalists who covered events such as `September 11 incident', Iraq war and similar incidents go a long way, globally. They in turn lead of the world of news and information.

Question: What do you think of the present Sri Lankan journalists?

Answer: They just report events. This should not be the task of a real journalist. He should understand, the situation research on its solemnity, analyze its worth and the rest of it. While authentically reporting facts a journalist gets the foreboding of what the next would be.

Today's journalists - of course most of them, wait for something to happen or is thrown onto their laps. This is not a good sign at all. Journalists should be analytical at all times.

Question: What should be their main ethical attitudes?

Answer: There are ethics in journalism which should be accurately followed. It's a hilarious situation here, for journalistic ethics are limited to the print media. The ultimate is if ethics are not taken into consideration one ends up in courts.

Accordingly, journalists should not accept `Payola' (presents). But nobody knows this term except journalists who have followed recognised courses. But take a journalist like Larry King, he was able to question the Prime Minister of his country.

But here it is supposed that a journalist can be bought for a bottle of arrack. Journalists should change towards the betterment and uphold this noble profession.

Question: What main challenge exists for our journalists?

Answer: For one, it is the lack of journalistic qualifications, and the impediment to discuss a matter of importance. There is a saying that `a knowledgeable and wise person is respected by the whole world'. Journalists should be a versatile, educated and logical. There is no recognised training institute for local journalist.

This is one of our main problems.

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