SLPI submits media regulation proposal to Minister Rambukwella

Minister of Mass Media Keheliya Rambukwella addresses delegation from the media including SLPI Chairman representing NSSL Kumar Nadesan, TEGOSL President Siri Ranasinghe, SLPI CEO Kumar Lopez, Kanchana Dasanayake representing TEGOSL, FMM Convenor Seetha Ranjanee, SAFMA President Lakshman Gunesekera, SLMMF President and representing TMA N.M. Ameen, and FMETU Gen. Secretary Dharmasiri Lankapehli

The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), its constituents and affiliated organisations met with the Minister of Mass Media Keheliya Rambukwella on Monday to submit an outline of the proposal for a single Authority to monitor the media, including print, radio, television and digital, based on self-regulatory principles that will ensure freedom of expression and social responsibility. 

The delegation comprised representatives of the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka (NSSL), The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL), Free Media Movement (FMM), Tamil Media Alliance (TMA), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Union (FMESTU), South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) and the SLPI.

It is proposed that this new mechanism will be repealing the Press Council Act No. 5 of 1973, and bring in relevant amendments to the relevant Acts, such as the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Act No. 37 of 1966, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Act No. 6 of 1982, the Sri Lanka Telecommunication Act No. 25 of 1991 and the Newspaper Ordinance of Sri Lanka No. 5 of 1839.

The proposed board of the Authority will comprise of media representatives from the industry, state representation of media and subject matter experts from finance, law, ICT and new media, to ensure that today’s complex media environment is regulated and managed with the relevant expertise. The Authority, will ensure adherence of media to a Code of Conduct, hold inquiries on complaints received and of its own observation, issue broadcasting and content licences, registration of media, impose relevant fees, impose licence term, ensure conformity to content licenses, and impose fines and penalties based on inquiry. 

The inquiries based on complaints or on observations of the Authority will be handled through a conciliation, mediation and arbitration process. The arbitration process will be in accordance with the Arbitration Act No. 11 of 1995, in particular Part V on conduct of arbitration proceedings. Any directives from these processes by the Authority could be appealed in the Court of Appeal. 

The Minister said that he will include SLPI and all stakeholders who have engaged in this process to arrive at an outcome suitable to media and public.