Towards a media culture with national identity

Text of the address by Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa at China, Southern Asia Forum on Radio and Television.

The field of Broadcasting is currently Television and Radio. As far as concerning the Media Policy of the Government of Sri Lanka, in the post independence period, there was no systematic National Media Policy to guide media practice in the country. With the beginning of the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, ‘Mahinda Vision’ manifesto towards a new Sri Lanka came out reflecting the policy of the Government.

In this vision, it was emphasized the recognition of the right of the people to have access to correct information and the foundation of our media policy to get the broad participation of the media towards achieving country’s social, cultural and economic development objectives. As a result and to fill the lacuna between two eras, the Ministry of Media and Information formulated the present media policy of Sri Lanka.

Among the number of objectives identified in present policy, it is very important that this policy, directs to bring about an enabling environment to encourage and promote professionalism among media practitioners and organisations and to pave the way to create a media environment in keeping with technological advancement and best media practices.

Creating a media culture that upholds national identity, unity in diversity and harmony establishing a media tradition with a clear understanding of its social responsibility and bringing about a socially responsible, ethical media culture ensuring media freedom expected to be fulfilled by practising our media policy.

As stipulated in ‘Mahinda Vision’, it is very important to maintain constant dialogue with international media organisation and media practitioners to enrich local media practices to implement the International Relation policy for Media and Information. Further openness for providing facilities essential to organise media conferences, workshops and study tours to ensure the constant strengthening of links with international media personnel and media institutions, should be enhanced. This will expedite media development in the country being pragmatically sensitive to all forms of global developmental trends in the field of communication technologies and media practice.

The strategies that have been incorporated in the media policy declaration provide guidelines for the steps that should be taken by the State and other media institutions/media practitioners to implement the provisions in this media framework. For development purpose of the media, establishing a media authority, taking steps to install a national system of communications satellites and creating a new theoretical and institutional framework and principles, enabling the introduction of digital technology for electronic media have been emphasized.

It is expected that our present media policy given the difference and upgrading the exchange of Government policies in the broadcasting field between China and Sri Lanka as well.

Accordingly in the recent era Ministry of Mass Media and Information has taken many steps to uplift the media industry in Sri Lanka. In keeping with the technological developments, action was taken to issue media licences to broadcasters specifying the type of technology to use. In respect of television broadcasting licences have been issued for ‘Free to Air TV’, ‘Cable TV’, ‘Satellite DTH-TV’, ‘Mobile TV’ and more recently for ‘IPTV Operations.’ We have already issued four media licences to operate Government TV broadcasting stations and 14 media licences to operate Government Radio Broadcasting stations. Number of the Media licences issued to private broadcasting stations is 53, altogether.

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation were established in 1966 and 1982 respectively under two acts, starting Government channels for Radio Broadcasting and TV Broadcasting. Regulations are being drafted at present under the above two Acts for private radio and TV Broadcasting stations. With the view of updating the existing laws and regulations that affect the mass media field, to reflect the current urges. We are formulating regulations to keep high general standard of quality both in content and in the quality of audio/video and to prevent broadcasting of the programs which would detrimental to the interests of national security, likely to incite crime, leading to disorder, offensive to public feelings and detrimental to the rights and privileges of children.

We are having an accepted code of conduct for SLRC. This code of conduct regulates the standards and practice in Television Broadcasting and Television advertising. This code of conduct addresses mainly fairness and privacy in TV Broadcasting. Accordingly SLRC has a responsibility to avoid unfairness to individuals or organisations featured in particular through the use of inaccurate information or distortion and the line to be drawn between the public’s right to information and the citizen’s right to privacy.

According to the code of advertising, standards and practice, they’ve to adhere to superstition, good taste, stridency and those must comply in every respect with the law, common or statue.

We trust that this kind of ethics are essential to regularize and govern all television programing, radio programing and advertising in all electronic media be legal, clean, honest and truthful. Especially television which is a greater household penetration gives rise to problems which do not necessarily occur in other media and it is essential to maintain a consistently high quality of television programing and advertising. This should provide wholesome entertainment towards the viewing populace as well.

It has been drawn special attention on advertising for children. The measures have initiated to implement common ethics for media in order to enhance the values of our customs and culture.

Being two countries in the Asia region, it is very important for both of us to exchange the policies in the broadcasting field and share the new technology as well as ethics and standards with regard to this field.

I could recall the way Chinese Government has been assisting Sri Lankan Government and continue with your valuable assistance and contribution. And as a South Asian country we have a good relationship with China and have common thinking, cultural patterns up to some extent.

So it is hoped that this forum would enable to process the exchange of Government policies in the broadcasting field between China and Sri Lanka as a South Asian country.