Sri Lanka needs reforms for traditional media & social media - President

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe delivering his Government’s Policy Statement following the ceremonial opening of the parliament session said that the country needs media reforms, and for this purpose a national policy on mass media is being prepared.

"In order to succeed in economic, social and political reforms, it is essential to make the community aware, based on accurate facts. The main role of making the society aware belongs to the media," said the President in Parliament.

He also said that journalists should be given national and international level training in that regard. 

"In 1993, as the Prime Minister, I appointed a Committee with Dr. Gamini Corea as the Chairperson, in order to obtain recommendations for the establishment of a Media Training Institute. Although the Cabinet approved the establishment of this institution, it was not implemented due to the 1994 General Election. Therefore, we urge to establish a system of institutions ranging from an institute of journalism to a university for journalists, in order to receive international-level training," elaborated Wickremesinghe in his Government’s Policy Statement.

He further noted that when looking closely at the past decades, the question arises whether the role of the media has been properly fulfilled. "Therefore, our country needs media reforms. We have to consider both traditional media and social media. That is the reason for preparing a national policy on mass media."

"I’m of the view that it is important for the government and the media industry to take care of a collective self-regulation system. In cyberspace, we are experiencing not only fake news, hate speech, misinformation, child and women harassment, fraud and corruption. We believe that a transparent regulatory system that includes social media network companies is required in this regard," said the President.

Source: PMD