Hada Salena

Aruna’s soulful tunes now comes in an album:

Ruwini Jayawardana

Aruna Lian became synonymous among Sri Lankan music fans with his contribution to cinema. The talented music personality began his cinematic venture by composing music scores for Nita Fernando’s movie, Nisala Gira. His song, Yauwana Sihina Lokaye, and appearance in Senesh Dissanaike Bandara’s ‘Heart FM’ helped to cement his role as a versatile musician.

Lian was a member of the Austrian-based Sri Lankan band ‘Jayasri’ with whom he performed for six years. He has also performed with leading bands like Kings, Imagine (Swiss), Live, Hit house (Italian) and Odyssey (German), in his 15-year stint in Europe. Aruna is also a fantastic rock guitarist.

Now fans can enjoy Lian’s soulful tunes like Hada Salena, Paata Paata Heenaya and others in a music album titled Hada Salena. The album comprising 12 tracks is produced under the Torana label.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of Lian’s maiden album Torana Music Centre chief Sarath Kothelawela stressed on the threat of piracy to the film and music business.

He said that within 48 hours of launching an album low-quality pirated copies hit the pavements. Though the situation had been brought to notice little had been done in solving the problem.

“This situation had driven many music producers away from the field to find solace in other pastures,” he said adding that the public needs to take matters into their own hands by rejecting the pirated versions.

Hemasiri Halpita, Wasantha Dukgannarala, Saman Ediri Muni, Kanchana Dassanayake, Prasanna Lian, Nandana Wickramage, Iresh Lokubandara, Nuwan Liyanage, Ramesh and Aruna himself penned the lyrics for Hada Salena.

Uresha Ravihari and Indika Upamali have contributed to the duets. Reggae, rock and heavy metal music styles are included in the album.

Aruna had created the signature music of City Hitz and advertising jingles for Elephant House, Hutch, Unilevers, Lion beer (strong), Sampath Bank, Swadeshi - Kohomba clear, Development Lotteries Board, Arpico and others. He also composed music for ‘Love me if you can’, Sri Lanka’s first Digital 5.1 tele film and Athugala Aadaraya which is currently under production.

The music score of the new movie on line for release, Pitasakwala Kumarayai Pancho Hathai is also done by Lian.

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TV Southasia linking Lands & Legacies

With modern developments in communication and easy access to people and events around the globe it is no wonder that media plays a pivotal role in bridging gaps between cultures and nations. You can experience what you could have only dreamt of yesterday with a blink of an eye, thanks to modern technology.

Yet another milestone in the history of media passed by as TV Southasia took off on air recently. Leading electronic media companies from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka got together in a historic collaborative venture with the launch of the new channel which is available across the world on various DTH and terrestrial platforms.

TV Southasia consists of programming from partner channels, and focuses on the cultural similarities that bind these nations together.

The brainchild of former head of Star TV and Doordharshan, Rathikanth Basu, TV Southasia is operated by the regions leading private media companies such as Tara TV (India), Aaj TV (Pakistan), Image TV (Nepal), MTV/MBC Channels (Sri Lanka) and several broadcasters in Bangladesh.

The channel features many of the regions top rated TV programmes produced by partner channels including education, arts and culture, music, cuisine, documentaries, talk shows, tele-films and architecture. TV Southasia is the first of its kind in the region and a ground-breaking initiative.

Having brought together the biggest broadcasters in the region, media analysts believe the South Asian media initiative has already proved to be a catalyst for the development of media in South Asia, particularly since the regulatory and socio-political environments in many of these countries are very similar.

Speaking at the media briefing of TV Southasia, Head of Channel One MTV and News 1st Chevaan Daniel stated that the task had not been easy but was well worth pursuing to establish strong ties between the nations in the Asian continent.

“Planning began one year back. What would have been a dream five years back had taken form into a reality today. We need to look at this project with a positive angle and not look at it within the boundaries of the island,” he said also adding that the services will be expanded to regions in North America through satellite TV and IPTV by September. – RJ

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8 TURNS 8

Swarnavahini celebrates eight years of churning news ‘live at eight’:

Ruwini Jayawardana

Life is like a rollercoaster when you are working in the media. News filter through, one lead story is replaced by another, you get tip offs and sources reveal a scandalous incident that is worth digging into. Well, that is life in the news desk for you and at the end of the day it is team spirit that gets you through the work.

Just as in most success stories ‘team work’ plays a significant role in Swarnavahini’s Sinhala eight o’clock news bulletin’s routine. The programme retains the top slot in the Lanka Market Research Bureau (LMRB) viewers ranking for Sinhala news bulletins. What more the ‘Live at Eight’ team is right on the brick of celebrating their eighth successful year on air on July 7.

Incepted in July 7, 2000, ‘Live at Eight’ made its mark as a compact 30-minute look into the day’s happenings in the island and around the world. It is divided into several segments like Attata Kiyanna, Rata Hadana Thena, Rata Gana Ata, Ratama Ketiyen, Lowama Ketiyen, Kelibimen Atata etc.

“We noted that in international channels like BCC and CNN, the news readers have moved away from the traditional style of reading news to a more conversational style. We went along these guidelines and developed a news presentation style which grabs the public’s attention through its relaxed and engaging style,” explained Nalaka Swarnathilake, Chief News Editor of ‘Live at Eight’.

The news bulletin started off scheduled for half an hour and it was later developed to be telecast for an hour. Around one and a half years earlier it was rescheduled for half an hour.

“It is doubtful whether there is newsworthy items to cover a whole hour in a small island like Sri Lanka. Some channels drag certain news stories for a long period while others turn non-news items into news for the sake of filling the air time. Our news won a majority of viewers through its balance.

We select incidents which have an impact upon the public, not because it is centered on a certain political party or individual,” he stressed adding that some have mistaken the introduction at the beginning of the news as a comment made by the news presenters on the upcoming news items.

The team is made up of 40 members and in comparison with other news agencies in the country ‘Live at Eight’ functions with less employees and facilities. However their output had been embraced by masses and many had made comments that it is a pleasure to watch their news bulletin at the end of the day.

A significant feature in ‘Live at Eight’ is that it provides an opportunity for the public to take on the role of a news reporter. Through Atata Kiyanna, the viewers develop a link with the news team by shooting and reporting certain important news they have come across.

“We started off this segment with an incident in Ratnapura. A child was missing for over a month and the mother provided us with a photo of the child and a voice cut. Before an hour had passed since the news item went on air a nurse from the Ridgeway Children’s Hospital contacted and informed me that the missing child is at the hospital.

I visited the hospital with a cameraman the next day and showed the visuals of the parents to the child. He recognised them as his parents,” Swarnathilake said adding that they telecast round 10 to 15 viewer’s contribution news stories monthly.

A special function will be held at the Sapphire hotel, Wellawatte, on July 7 to celebrate the eighth anniversary of ‘Live at Eight’. A representative from each of the political parties in the country is invited to take part in the event along with the speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara.

The 11 best news items contributed by viewers will be selected and the winners will receive a memorial and a cash prize. Around 25 reporters and memento of the ‘Live at Eight’ team who had been with the programme from the beginning will be felicitated.

“We have a young and dynamic team. Most of our members were trained at this institution and they know the importance of team spirit.

It is one of the keys to our success,” Swanathilake said adding that the Senior Executive Producer, Upendra Herath plays a key role in looking into the production matters of ‘Live at Eight’.

“Our Managing Director, Jeewaka Edirisinghe is very keen on upgrading the quality of the news bulletin. He studies the changes and trends in the international news bulletins and has an eye to recognise the pulse of the public.”

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Tete-a-tete with the best news presenter of the year

He started off with the half-hour Unusum Vimasum in 2001 before being selected to join the ‘Live at eight’ team in 2002.

His casual style of speaking to the hearts of the people won him much acclaim and he was nominated for the award for best news presenter for three consecutive years before he clinched the award this year at the Sumathi Tele Award.

“There is a time for everything and this year I was lucky,” Manager Public Relations, Harindra Jayalal, said with a smile.

He had developed this own style of presenting news at the early stage of the programme and had managed to preserve his identity even when the news bulletin turned towards the traditional form of presenting news a few years ago.

“In the end they realised that this is the way to win the public over and now we have changed the whole outlook to win over the majority of viewers.

Harindra presents ‘Live at Eight’ along with Ishara Koralage, Ransi Ranasinghe, Nadeeka Karunanayake and Thushari Hemamali.

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Web Adevi Sekaseema to be launched

Pradeep Kavinda Kotuwegedara’s Web Adevi Sekaseema and the CD will be launched at the Town Hall Auditorium, Gampola on July 5 at 2 p.m. The launching ceremony will be presided over by Ven. Naranvita Devananda Thera.

Tea Shakthi Fund Chairman Noel Padmasiri Kariyawasam will deliver the inaugural speech. The keynote address will be delivered by K. Edward Perera of Sri Lanka Development Administrative Institute.