Media should support national agenda - Ganegala

Disna MUDALIGE

The media has a collective responsibility to join in the forward march and development drive of the country by supporting the country’s national agenda, Mass Media and Information Ministry Secretary W B Ganegala said.

He was addressing a workshop for journalists organized by Sri Lanka Press Council and Government Information Department at the Media Development Centre yesterday on “Contemporary Politics and Media Use”.

He observed that the local media has a duty to counter the false allegations made against the country

by a certain section of the international media. He noted about 35 FM channels, 15 television channels and 160 newspapers and publications have been registered in Sri Lanka as at present. He noted that all local media should concentrate on the national agenda, when disseminating information.

He also stated media institutions should take the responsibility for each and every report they write, speak and publish without disseminating incorrect reports with a profit oriented mind.

Sri Lanka Press Council president and President Counsel W Dayaratne said in his welcome speech that the workshop was a concept of Information Director General Prof Ariyaratne Athugala. He noted journalists must be educated not to abuse media freedom. Kelaniya University Mass Communication Department Prof Sunanda Mahendra and Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Chairman and veteran journalist Mohan Samaranayake contributed to the workshop as resource persons. Information Department Additional Director General Chandrapala Liyanage, AFP Bureau Chief in Colombo Amal Jayasinghe and senior journalists were present.