Introducing monitoring mechanism for media need of the hour
Director General of Information:
Director General of Information Ranga Kalansooriya said yesterday the necessity to introduce a monitoring mechanism for electronic media in particular had been felt with the recent telecasting of a suicide by a youth.
“The vivid telecast in the TV and websites is a total violation of all norms and ethical guidelines in journalism. I had to appeal to these media institutions to stop the telecast of suicide immediately and for their credit they stop telecasting. I think they realised their folly after I made the request,” Mr. Kalansooriya said.
He added that all media institutions need to be aware of the basics of ethics and norms in journalism and use their discreet to decide what to telecast and what not to. No positive purpose was served
We expect to introduce a set of minimum guidelines and a regulatory framework for journalists and media institutions to follow
by telecasting the suicide of a young man, he added.
Mr. Kalansooriya said the Mass Media Ministry was determined to introduce a set of monitoring guidelines for print and electronic media shortly, and requested media institutions to be discreet and careful of what they telecast, broadcast or print.
“The Mass Media Ministry does not intend in any way to force guidelines and regulations upon the media. But there must be a minimum discipline and respect on ethics by journalists and media institutions. We have witnessed an increase in violations. This must be stopped. However, the best thing to arrest this negative trend is a selfregulatory system and a self-discipline arrangement by the media institutions and journalists. We expect to introduce a set of minimum guidelines and a regulatory framework for journalists and media institutions to follow, because our repeated requests and appeals for proper behaviour have fallen by the wayside, and the deterioration of journalism has reached its peak,” Mr. Kalansooriya stressed.
However, nothing would be introduced by force and no journalist or media institution must think the government is attempting to control media, he said adding that whatever said and done would be to save the media from total decline.