Have Sri Lankan Journalists turned into Scribes of Prostitution?
Posted on December 28th, 2013
Prof. Hudson McLean
Before Christmas I contacted two Sri Lankan journalists through a reliable local contact to ascertain the acceptability of an article for publication.
I was astonished to receive a response, “Journalists don’t publish articles for free anymore. Even my friends ask for US$1000 (one lakh) sometimes to publish business ones. “
If this is true, specially the leading media might Confirm or Deny, then the Credibility, of anything published in Sri Lanka Media, Press (printed or Internet), TV and any other medium, is down to below Zero.
Actually, this makes LankaWeb the only TRUE & INDEPENDENT VOICE of SRI LANKA!
As a British journalist myself, during my time in Press & Public Awareness programmes in London, when Fleet Street was the Flagship of Independent Press in the Democratic World, no British journalist would accept any form of Bribery & Corruption, to publish a Press Release.
The Financial Times of London (FT), was so strict in their policy of accepting Press Releases, getting a few column inches was a miracle. FT Conduct & Etiquette was and still is, lays foundation for the highest standards in Journalism.
Then came an East European immigrant by the name of Robert Maxwell (RM), who started the first run in deterioration of the British standards, followed by another with similar initials (RM) Rupert Murdoch, an Australian, who ran down (still is and questioned by Parliamentary Committees) the standards of journalism with low ethics & corruption with his Might & Power.
Said that, both British & American Press have full transparency as well as the Power of Democracy, where politicians have yet to control the Press Freedom for any length of time.
However, in countries like Sri Lanka, the politicians tend to keep both their feet right on top of the Media, controlling them with fear and torture. On top of that, when Scribes or the Prostitutes with the Pen, make it an opportunity to collect their Pension Fund, then the publications are worth less than toilet paper.
I have been a Contributor to LankaWeb for over 18 years, mainly supporting the political leaders who safeguard the Rights of Sinhala (I am not ashamed to stand-by that), against the Tamil Terrorist LTTE led by Prabhakaran. Must say that 99.9% of my Contributions were published without any amendments or comment by the Editor(s).
Corruption Index: From 100, Sri Lanka Drops to 91st place /177.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_13B/Dec03_1386084752CH.php
http://www.transparency.org/cpi2013/results
http://www.tisrilanka.org/?p=11660
We are lucky that we have the Uncontrollable Internet and the likes of LankaWeb.
A Very Happy New 2014 to All Readers of LankaWeb.
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December 28th, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Good. LONG LIVE LANAKWEB
December 28th, 2013 at 7:42 pm
Long after Sri Lanka leaves all this agony, hypocrisy, absurdity, corruption, indignity, cowardice et al behind …
and all her people embrace a shared destiny (sadly, not in our lifetime); perhaps a once-proud and
independent Sri Lankan media can reclaim its old stature.
All the more reason to give thanks for, and promote with vigour, a trail-blazing and self-respecting
media organisation such as LankaWeb.
Wish you all a healthful and pleasant 2014 …
December 28th, 2013 at 10:32 pm
Well said Prof.
Lankaweb was, is and will always be the independent voice of Sri Lanka.
It is the voice of people who are unbiased, and say what HAS TO BE SAID, not what politicians LIKE TO HEAR!
It is the voice of people who have no hidden agendas except for THE AGENDA FOR A BETTER SRI LANKA.
LONG LIVE LANKAWEB!!
After all its the only place were PRESSTITUTES can be NAMED AND SHAMED!!!!!! (thats mainly for you BBC, C4, McCrae)
December 28th, 2013 at 11:29 pm
Ditto!
Long live Lankaweb (SL’s first continuing news website since 1997). May G~d bless the people running it and may the stupid SL leaders read it and learn!
December 29th, 2013 at 8:56 am
THANKS PROFESSOR, YOU ARTICULATED THE MOST DESERVING COMPLIMENT TO OUR “””LANKA WEB”””
When I open my computer, the first thing that I do is to go to the Lanka Web. I love to read it.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Thanks to the good work at Lankaweb, we are able to communicate and enjoy the work of exceptional journalists.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:35 pm
A Classic Example of the Lack of “Freedom of Expression” in the BBC!
Priyath Liyanage, head of BBC Sinhala-Service, is suspended and replaced by a non-Sinhala, for giving both points of view on BBC’s biased anti-Sri Lanka documentary on the war! BBC protects its “Party Line”!
BBC … Puhul Hora Karen Danay! Get your new non-Sinhala supervisor, Dejan Radojevic, to translate that without help!
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BBC Sinhala service head suspended
SundayObserver.lk
December 29, 2013
BBC Sinhala Service (Sandeshaya) head Priyath Liyanage who aired a news bulletin unfavourable to the controversial BBC World Service documentary “Sri Lanka’s Unfinished War” by Frances Harrison, has been suspended with immediate effect.
Liyanage who had authorised a three-minute bulletin that carried defensive comments from Military Spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasuriya in response to Harrison’s documentary on abuses and human rights violations in the North during the last stages of the war against terrorism is believed to have triggered the removal of the former from his position, the Sunday Observer reliably learns.
The news bulletin which has now been removed from the list of archives of the Sinhala Service bulletins was broadcast after Harrison’s documentary was screened for the first time on the BBC World Service on November 9. It is learnt that the BBC had made moves to suspend Liyanage who himself conducted the bulletin on the interview of Military Spokesman had allegedly intended to attack Harrison’s documentary on Sri Lanka.
A non-Sinhala supervisor, Dejan Radojevic, (BBC World Service Europe Editor) has been appointed to head an all-Sinhala staff on the Sinhala service for the first time in history.
The staff of experienced media workers of the Sinhala Service office in London comprising Chandana Keerthi Bandara, Saroj Pathirana, Upali Gajanayake, M J R David and Wimal Hewage are now confined to translate only news items gathered from other Sri Lankan news portals and publications.
Former BBC Sinhala Service Sri Lankan Correspondent Elmo Fernando has been summoned back from his retirement to report despite his successor Azzam Ameen functioning as the Colombo Reporter.
Also 10 provincial freelance correspondents of the Sinhala Service have not been assigned any work nor paid for their contributions for a month now, sources in London said.
Liyanage has been suspended following an inquiry conducted by two BBC officials.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
“I did no WRONG but I was TORTURED” wails the Thamil Prabhakaran who gathered military and political intelligence VIOLATING the terms of his “Tourist Visa”!
This “Journalist” speaks with a FORKED TONGUE …. CLEARLY violating the ETHICS of Journalism as well as Sri Lanka’s Visa laws!
Bravo Immigration Dept; One more Terrorist Propagandist BOOTED out of Sri Lanka!
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Deported Journalist Claims Torture in SL
NewIndianExprress.com
December 29, 2013
Tamil Nadu journalist Tamil Prabhakaran arrived in Chennai on Saturday after the Sri Lankan Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) handed him over to the Immigration Department for deportation.
The TID had apparently concluded after interrogation that he had no terrorist links and had not indulged in terrorist activity, and that the only fault was that he had violated visa regulations.
Speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport, Prabhakaran claimed he was psychologically tortured and subjected to probe like a ‘criminal or terrorist’.
“I was subjected to psychological torture and repeatedly subjected to investigations like a criminal or a terrorist when I had done nothing wrong,” Prabhakaran said.
Prabhakaran, who had gone to Sri Lanka on a tourist visa, was detained on December 25 in Kilinochchi district in the former war zone of North Lanka by the local police. After overnight interrogation, they handed him over to the Terrorist Investigation Division, which took him to Colombo to find out why he was taking pictures of military installations and interviewing Tamil politicians when he was on a tourist visa.
While Lankan authorities asserted that he was doing journalistic work while being on a tourist visa and taking pictures of army camps and troops, Prabhakaran categorically denied taking pictures of any military area and said he had only captured a few photographs of certain civil functions.
“Even they were taken in the presence and knowledge of Lankan authorities and the arrest came much later,” the journalist said.
Officials of the Indian High Commission in Colombo were given consular access to the detainee and they had found him to be quite alright. After investigations, TID told the High Commission that Tamil Prabhakaran had no terror links but had violated visa regulations and, therefore, he would be handed over to the Immigration Department for deportation.
In Chennai, he said: “I was repeatedly interrogated and they kept me in handcuffs throughout my detention period, even when I was sleeping. I was subjected to emotional and psychological torture.”
Claiming that the Lankan authorities treatment of him was a violation of human rights, Prabhakaran said, “I was given petrol when I asked for water and was subjected to several more types of torture that are a clear violation of human rights. I will release proof for this shortly,” he added.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:26 pm
THE USUAL “TAMIL CRY ” …I WAS TORTURED. Now he can get a visa to UK or to Canada overnight.