Journalist Chandana Sirimalwatta
Now there are strong criticisms of the use of mass media in Sri Lanka. How the media behaves in the event of a murder or a socially sensitive incident is often problematic. What do you think of these criticisms?
I have commented many times on the use of media in Sri Lanka. There have been various comments and criticisms about the media’s handling of the recent murder of a young woman. There is still a media culture in our country where corpses are found. This is not the first time this has happened. We know that this is not the last event. It is clear how irresponsible the media was in some cases like the Seya Sadewmi incident. Then what do those who work as journalists do in the society? Are you responsible for what you report? A journalist has an institutional framework, and media organizations are intertwined with businesses. They deliberately highlight certain news for commercial purposes. Also miss some news. There is a media culture in this country that presents such selected items to the market.
We need to understand this situation and look at the media. Also, there are ordinary people in the media who represent the society of our country. Therefore, we also have a critique of journalists. We also have a critique of the media business that pays and maintains them as professionals and creates markets for their own needs. We need to look at both sides. And we need to understand what are the problems facing our society? What is the fate of society? The inhumane killing of people in our society in this way is the situation that person encounters. All of these are ultimately victims in some way. That is how our society is, a society where human values are so low and humanity is shattered. In this situation we need to understand this.
The trauma caused by the destruction of humanity is on one side. Within human life, the respect and love that each person has for other people has been shattered. Human love and sexuality have become a very bad utility. In a way that makes people a victim, love between a young man and a young woman eventually becomes a victim. On the other hand, a media culture has emerged to victimize each party in these incidents. It is with all this that we hear and see these events and this news on a daily basis. Our society does not understand that these things are related to some other purpose. We either crucify the person involved in the incident. Or they are guilty. Perhaps different things will be revealed later than the information given by this media. So this needs to be understood intelligently. The other thing is to take action to change this situation.
As a journalist I am really trying to make the people understand this situation on one hand. Also, a political process is needed to change the backward and cynical situation in the society. It is a process of awareness, a process of being active. And I believe it should be a business based on human objectives in some way.
There is talk of reactivating the Press Council set up to regulate the media. But we do know that behind this regulation is in some way the suppression. What do you think about this?
What is happening in this media field, on the other hand, is now being used by the rulers to fulfill their needs in social media as well as what is happening in the newspapers or electronic media. Media censorship is located there. The Press Council, which began as a repressive measure in 1973, became somewhat inactive, as the media voluntarily regulated itself within society. But now the rulers, especially the present government, want to re-enforce the Press Council and censor the media by its laws. So far the need to censor the print media has been met by the Press Council in some way, but now an attempt is being made to censor the electronic media and social media. Then the amendments will come to control the media for the benefit of the rulers. This is a step towards suppressing the right to freedom of expression and the right to information.
If the process of knowing information is to be obtained through the media, the media must become an institution that can express itself freely and provide information freely. But that is not the case in this trade process. On the other hand, the media is controlled by the rulers as a process associated with political power. It is not done with good intentions. For political power purposes. Therefore, we need to be aware of this. Journalists on the one hand, as media organizations. I also think that civil society, political activists as well as political parties and the public have a responsibility in this regard.