Media bodies concerned over proposed CIMP Bill

Saturday, 25 July 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) and a coalition of media organisations have objected to the proposed Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka (CIMP) Bill, urging the Government to withdraw the legislation and engage in consultations with the media industry.

In a joint statement, the SLPI, together with the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association and its affiliated organisations, said their principal concern was that the proposed institute was a Government-led initiative rather than one developed by the media profession.

The organisations argued that established professional bodies such as the Institute of Engineers and the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects were created by professionals before being incorporated by Parliament, whereas the proposed CIMP had been initiated by the Government despite objections raised by media organisations.

They said the proposed framework amounted to a State-managed regulatory mechanism for a profession that must remain independent of Government influence.

The organisations reiterated that professional media standards should be based on self-regulation and led by the media community rather than being established through legislation under ministerial oversight.

They also pointed to the proposed Sri Lanka Media Commission (SLMC), based on co-regulatory and self-regulatory principles, as an alternative framework to strengthen professional standards.

In addition, they said the Sri Lanka College of Journalism, which has trained journalists for more than two decades, could be supported by the Government to enhance journalism standards instead of establishing a new statutory body.

The organisations called on the Government to withdraw the Bill and hold meaningful consultations with stakeholders while safeguarding media autonomy and press freedom.