Media and responsibility

Sri Lankan society was full of different incidents last week. The media talked about those incidents from different angles. For a difference we can talk about the ‘other sides’ of those incidents. May be some people will not like this idea if they are biased. But we have to talk about all sides of a story if we stand by society. At least the society should be given a chance to see the truth.

As all of us know, certain media give much hype about the disappearances of persons. But they’re mum when those ‘disappeared’ persons return. Last week it was reported that a majority of those ‘disappeared’ persons have already returned without harm but only one media outlet reported it to the public. There are hundreds of radio and television channels in Sri Lanka and many newspapers. But none of them reported about the re-appeared persons. It seems certain media want to see more and more people disappear in Sri Lanka! This is why they do not give publicity to the statistics on re-appeared persons.

The other issue is the way certain media are using the wild ass freedom available for them. Some media cultivate ‘Violence against Women’ in Sri Lanka daily for two hours during the prime time belt. They are determined to create a `Little Indian society’ in Sri Lanka where women are being subjected to all types of violent behaviour including murder. This is totally opposite from the real situation existing in Sri Lanka where women live with dignity and without any interference.

It is very pathetic to see how the relevant authorities turn a blind eye to this ongoing poisoning process carried out by these media outlets. Tough laws should be introduced to tame such media institutions. Otherwise Sri Lankan women will not be able to live in peace even in their own homes.

This is not the only anti social crime committed by it. Once the media reported that certain foods contain Melamine and the next day the same media reported there is no Melamine in that food item. But the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry very clearly stated that no person or institution can say whether there is Melamine in a certain food item or not because several samples of one food item had been sent to a number of laboratories in different countries and all those reports had to be considered before coming to a conclusion. But what is happening at the moment is that different persons and parties make ‘announcements’ and carry out advertising campaigns misleading the public.

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has already achieved three Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the UN for Sri Lanka in 2000. The UN set seven MDGs for Sri Lanka in 2000 and expected to achieve them by 2015. But the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has achieved three of them by 2008, that is seven years prior to the targeted year. The three MDGs are low Infant Mortality Rate, low Maternal Mortality Rate and Increased Life Expectancy. Sri Lanka has not only achieved those three MDGs but also set a record in the region by producing the best health service in the South East

Asian Region. This is very commendable. Due recognition should be given to the ministry and Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. But hardly any media talked about it.

When Sri Lanka loses something the media highlights it. But when Sri Lanka achieves something important at international level those media remains silent. It is very pathetic to see how some Sri Lankans look to our own downfall. When a person asks ‘How do you do’ or ‘How are you doing’ we grumble ‘nothing’s wrong’ or ‘everything is all right’. We hardly say ‘I am fine’ or ‘I am doing great’ (in Sinhala) even if things are tickety-boo! This shows our thinking pattern - always pessimistic. But it shouldn’t be like that. Why can’t we say ‘we are doing great’ even when we are doing so?