No deadline for submitting news casting website applications

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Today the media is in all forms and everywhere. Reports on certain websites yesterday which carried derogatory remarks about President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family were handed over to the President, said Acting Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing held at the Government

Information Department Auditorium yesterday, he said that in the past, arrangements were made to take legal action against web sites which violated rules and regulations. Now there is a code of media ethics developed by journalists themselves. In future, legal action will be taken against more websites which violate all media ethics.

Media Ministry Secretary W.B.Ganegala said that the Media Ministry and the Government Information Department have already registered about 28 newscasting websites and no application has been rejected.

"The applications with various shortcomings have to be re-submitted. The application is available on the ministry's website. There is no deadline for submitting applications. Certificates were awarded to registered websites", he added.