The document discusses media freedom in Sri Lanka, noting that while the constitution provides for freedom of expression, several laws and regulations place limits on this right. It outlines challenges to media freedom such as censorship, threats of violence against journalists especially those reporting on conflict or corruption, and a culture of impunity. However, the new government is taking some positive steps like lifting website bans and ordering the release of a magazine detained for republishing an interview with an LTTE leader.

1. Hansani Sampath
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2.  Freedom of the media or freedom of the
press is the freedom of communication and
expression through mediums including
various electronic media and published
materials.
(While such freedom mostly implies the
absence of interference from an overreaching
state, its preservation may be sought
through constitutional or
other legal protections.)
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3.  Everyone has the right to freedom of
opinion and expression; this right includes
freedom to hold opinions without
interference and to seek, receive and
impart information and ideas through any
media and regardless of frontiers
WHHAT IS MEDIA FREEDOM
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 at
the Palais de Chaillot, Paris.
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4. 2013 World Press Freedom Index
RANK COUNTRY
82 Bhutan
103 Maldives
118 Nepal
128 Afghanistan
140 India
144 Bangladesh
159 Pakistan
162 Sri Lanka
South Asia
Press Freedom
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5. Year Index Rank
2002 15.75 51
2003 24.83 89
2004 36.50 109
2005 33.25 115
2006 50.75 141
2007 67.50 156
2008 78.00 165
2009 75.00 162
2010 62.50 158
2011/12 87.50 163
2013 56.59 162
2014 59.13 165
Press Freedom Index
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6. Number of Daily Newspapers: 12
Total Circulation: 536,000
Circulation per 1,000: 38
Number of Nondaily
Newspapers:
36
Total Circulation: 1,322,000
Circulation per 1,000: 94
As % of AllAd Expenditures: 27.40
Number ofTelevision Stations: 21
Number ofTelevision Sets: 1,530,000
Television Sets per 1,000: 78.8
Number of Cable Subscribers: 5,820
Cable Subscribers per 1,000: 0.3
Number of Radio Stations: 72
Number of Radio Receivers: 3,850,000
Radio Receivers per 1,000: 198.4
Number of Individuals with
Computers:
135,000
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7. Sri Lankan media are available in English, Sinhala and Tamil across
various platforms.
There are over a dozen newspapers, around three dozen TV
channels and more than 40 radio stations.
The state media have a strong presence across all media platforms.
The Sri Lankan press traces its origins to the second quarter of the
nineteenth century. The first paper, the Colombo Journal, was
started at the insistence of the colonial governor on 1 January 1832
and within two years it was closed for being critical of the
government.
The first Tamil paper was started a decade later in Jaffna by the
Christian missionaries.
The paper named Udaya Tharakai (Morning Star) was published by
the American Missionary press from 1841 7sampath

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12. Pre Conflict period 1948- 1983
Conflict period 1983-2009
Post conflict period after 2009-
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13.  Sri Lanka was the first country in Asia to start radio transmissions.
Experimental transmissions started in 1923 and the first radio station,
Colombo Radio, was launched on 16th December 1925.
 It is now known as the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Until
1984, radio was a government monopoly.
 Sri Lanka's firstTV channel was started by private individuals in 1979.
 It was acquired by the government within six months.
 Government monopoly
 70s-80s –Youth Struggle
 The constitution provides for freedom of expression
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14. Conflict Period
Threats and intimidation
Self-censorship
Religion and ethnicity key issues-
Ethnic discrimination in the vernacular media has been on the rise. Religious rights
of minorities, including practicing religious .The religious division become a
powerful political tool in the country
Journalists were not allowed to participate in two investigative journalism training
workshops and a cyber security training
Few papers run critical stories
Tamil Tigers ran their own radio and TV stations in northern Sri Lanka and
a formidable media network overseas.
Private channels started operating from 1992.Many private TV channels have
now emerged, but not all of them carry news bulletins.
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15. Wimal Surendra
Journalist - Island
Sathasivam Sivashanmugamoorthy (Sundaram)
Journalist - Island
Shot dead (1982) Shot dead (1981)
Shot dead (1981)
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16. Sagarika Gomez
Journalist - SLRC, Singer & Actress
Shot dead (1989) Kidnapped and murdered (1989)
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17. Thevis Guruge
Director General - SLBC & Competent Authority - Media
Shot dead (1989) Shot dead (1989)
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18. Kidnapped, tortured, assassinated & thrown in the sea (1990)
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19. Atputharajah Nadaraja (Ramesh)
Chief editor – Thinamurasu
Shot dead (1999) Shot dead (1999)
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20. Aiyathurai (Nellai) Nadesan
Journalist - Virakesari &
Vice-President Journalists’ Union in the East
Mylvahanam Nimalarajan
Journalist - BBC, Virakesari, Ravaya & Suriyan FM
Shot and wounded along with his parents and relatives
Later succumbed to injuries (2000)Shot dead (2004)
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21. Dharmeratnam Sivaram
Editor - TamilNet, Journalist, Daily Mirror, Virakesari and Island
Abducted, assaulted, shot dead & his body
thrown near the Parliamentary Complex (2005)
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22. Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan
Journalist – Sudar Oli, who reported the shooting to death of five students
in the proximity of the Navy camp - Trincomalee
Shot dead in the High Security Zone (2006)
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23. Sampath Lakmal de Silva
Freelance Journalist
Parameswaree Maunasami
Journalist - Mawbima and Suriyan FM
Abducted and shot dead (2006)
Abducted, detained, threatened and released due to
International pressure (2006)
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24. 24
Subramaniam Ramachandiran
Journalsit - Yaal Thinakkural & Vaalampuri
Shot dead (2007) Kidnapped & Made to Disappear (2007)
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25. Selvarajah Rajivarnam
Journalist – Uthayan
Shot dead (2007)
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26. Hacked to death (2008)
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27. Detained & charged for writing articles critical of the government (2008)
Prisoner of conscience
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28. Namal Perera
Deputy Head - The Sri Lanka Press Institute
Abducted & severely assaulted (2009) Attacked with iron bars (2008)
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29. Lasantha Wickrematunge
Editor - Sunday Leader and
Winner - UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize 2009
Assassinated in January 2009
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30. 30
Leader Printing Press
Abducted, severely beaten, detained &
released due to International pressure (2009)
Set on fire (2009)
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31. Rajapakshe government committed censorship of journalists.
Banned most website through Telecommunication Regulation
Commission (TRC)
They appointed competent authority
In March 2013, Mahinda’s government disrupted the BBC Tamil
Service.
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32. January 2010 disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth
Eknaligoda,
have not been adequately investigated
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33. New government has ordered the
Telecommunication Regulation Commission
(TRC) to lift a ban on all news websites blocked
under president’s predecessor.
Exiled dissidents journalists asked to return
home
Reopening of investigations into the murder
ARTICLE 19 has welcomed the new
government’s commitment to creating a long
awaited right to information law.
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34. ARTICLE 19 welcomes the proposed inclusion of a right to
information provision as the Sri Lankan Parliament amends the
country’s Constitution. However, we urge Parliament to make
sure that constitutional rights are available to all, not just
citizens.
“It’s encouraging that the Sri Lankan government is serious about
protecting the right to freedom of information and is joining the other
countries of South Asia in having a full constitutional provision.
However, the proposed provision only protects this right for citizens,
so we urge the government to change the proposal to ensure that the
right is available to all,”
Thomas Hughes, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director.
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35. The proposed amendment creates a new article (Article
14A of the Constitution) which states: ‘every citizen shall
have the right of access to any information’. It goes on to
say that for any organization to be able to request
information, over three-quarters of its members must be
citizens. This provision unnecessarily restricts the right
to information to those people with citizenship of Sri
Lanka.
The Constitution also currently limits the rights to
freedom of expression, assembly, association and belief
so that they are only protected for its citizens. However,
freedom of expression and the right to information are
fundamental rights for all
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36. Key Challenges
to Media Freedom in Sri lanka
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37.  The constitution provides for freedom of expression, but it and other laws and regulations place
significant limits on the exercise of this right. The 1979 Prevention ofTerrorism Act contains
extremely broad restrictions, such as a prohibition on bringing the government into contempt
 The 1973 Press Council Act, which prohibits disclosure of certain fiscal, defense, and security
information, it was revived in 2009
 In July 2012, the government announced its intention to extend the act’s application to electronic and
web-based media, and to introduce registration fees
 Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited Law No 28 of 1973
 Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Act No 37 of 1966 (SLBC Act)
 Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Act No 6 of 1982
 Sri Lanka Press Council Law No 5 of 1973 Official Secrets Act No 32 of 1955
 Public Security Ordinance No 25 of 1947
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38.  Direct censorship: pre and post publication censor, list of
banned subjects, official request, pulling programme off the
air, jamming.
 Indirect censorship through: ownership, advertising, license
regulation, broadcasting commission
 Self-censorship
CENSORSHIP
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39.  Journalists working in conflict and provinces are the
most vulnerable
 Journalists who cover cases of corruption have been
targeted.
 Culture of impunity: lack of commitment of the
government and the police to solve cases of
violence against media and killings of journalists.
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40.  Lack of Access to Information
 Commercialization of the media
 Professionalism of the media
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41.  Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe on
February 18 ordered the release of copies of the
Frontline magazine detained at the Colombo airport in
January, which republished a 1987 interview with slain
LTTE leaderVelupillai Prabakaran, along with other
interviews and articles from its archives in a special
edition of the magazine marking its 30th anniversary.
 The interview with Prabakaran would not
create any threat to national security.
conclusion
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