Govt. involvement in media regulation risky

THE Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL) withdrew recently from a committee appointed by the Ministry of Mass Media to draft a National Media Policy, citing contradictory statements from ministry officials and a lack of clarity surrounding the initiative.

- 

“The Guild has withdrawn its participation in the committee’s deliberations following contradictory statements being made by officials of the Ministry, leading to a lack of clarity,” TEGOSL Secretary Mohanlal Piyadasa said in a press release adding that despite the withdrawal, the Guild is willing to engage in discussions about an alternative to the Sri Lanka Press Council.

On Tuesday, Minister of Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa told Parliament that a national media policy will come into effect within three months. “The policy will be formulated by media stakeholders themselves, while the Government will only play a facilitator’s role,” he said.