Issues for the Media Ombudsman

PRESIDENT Mahinda Rajapakse's decision to appoint a Media Ombudsman is bound to be warmly welcomed by this country's media community as a far-seeing measure which holds out the promise of alleviating its travails and labours.

Given his vast experience in public life, the journalists of this country would not also dispute the President's choice for this important position - former Minister and MP, A. H. M. Azwer.

We wish Mr. Azwer all the very best in his new assignment and hope that he would be in a position to dispense justice towards Sri Lanka's media persons whose lot is definitely in need of improvement.

We hardly need reiterate the crucial importance of being a media person in this country. Today, the journalist plays a key role in not only informing the public but in also conscientizing it on the issues of the day.

In other words, the journalist is a vital change agent who plays a considerable role in shaping public perceptions in accordance with national needs but his or her services are yet to receive complete public recognition.

This is probably due to the fact that in comparison to other professionals, the journalist goes about his tasks in the most unobtrusive fashion, engaging in a relatively silent service which is, nevertheless, vibrant and nationally important.

Could it be that the media person of this country tends to be taken for granted on account of his ungrudging, consistent services, with little or no whining and mourning about his unpublicized difficult lot?

Answers are difficult to come by on such questions but it speaks volumes for the President's understanding of the media persons' condition that mention has been made about the appointment of a Media Ombudsman in the Mahinda Chinthana manifesto.

Now that this vital election pledge is being implemented, we hope every effort will be made by the Media Ombudsman to relieve media persons of their more burdensome diurnal woes.

It is true that Lankan journalists do not usually undergo lengthy, rigorous academic training but it is on account of their signal skills that the public comes to be informed, enlightened and educated on the problems of the day.

For instance, immense and sharp language skills are necessary to make humdrum everyday happenings such as the pains of price rises, come alive in the minds of readers.

If not for the analytical skills of the journalist, the significance of many a national and international event would pass unnoticed. We have a balanced perception of the outcome of the ceasefire talks, for example, on account of these abilities.

All such services are performed very often in the most selfless manner, amid gruelling hardships. The media community is bound to welcome the news that progress is being made towards putting into shape a pension scheme for journalists, but a sizeable personal income or financial security is by no means the only worry of our journalists.

There is also the problem of the continuous upgrading of his or her technical skills and the difficulty in accessing technical equipment, such as computers, on account of their relatively high prices.

We need to add to this list of concerns, the need for adequate emotional security. Times without number, for instance, journalists have been prevented from carrying out their professional duties by overbearing and bullying public officials.

Such insensitive conduct has a demoralising impact on the media community and also has the effect of lowering the public esteem in which it is held.

This is a mere sprinkling of the issues our Media Ombudsman could be called upon to resolve. May he rise to these challenges is our wish.