Consultation on Community Radio in Sri Lanka organised in Colombo
Consultation on Community Radio in Sri Lanka
Colombo, 08/02/2015: A national level consultation on Community Radio in Sri Lanka was organized by Sri Lanka Development Journalists’ Forum in collaboration with the Ministry of Mass Media, Government of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), New Delhi on February 07, 2015 at the SLBC, Colombo. Mr. Karunaratne Paranavithana, the Secretary of the Ministry of Mass Media and Information formally inaugurated the consultation and shared his experiences of visiting community radio stations in western countries. He hoped that the new government will check the feasibility of community radio in the country and take the necessary actions for promoting the concept. Speaking further, he assured that the ministry is open for a discussion to explore new concept of community radio that can be customized in Sri Lankan Context. While answering a question raised by Ms. Samanmalee, representative from Saru Community Radio, he agreed to take immediate steps to resolve existing frequency issues faced by Saru Community Radio.
Mr. M. C. Rasmin, Director/CEO, Sri Lanka Development Journalists’ Forum enumerated the importance of community radio in a country like Sri Lanka while delivering the welcome address. Mr. Wijeyananda Jayaweera, former Director of Communication, UNESCO enumerated the characteristics of community radio explaining the existing situation in Sri Lanka and other south Asian countries. Mr. Jawaweera explored the idea of enabling a civil society activism to demand an experimental community radio initiative to prove the harmless potential of community radio with its allies, including the government of Sri Lanka. Dr. Ankuran Dutta of CEMCA delivered the keynote address in the inaugural session on “Community Radio across south Asia: Understanding its potential in addressing voice poverty.” He sketched the present situation of community radio in south Asian nations and argued for a movement towards independent community radio in Sri Lanka.
A total of 15 representatives from universities, regional radio, civil society, community radio, public broadcasting participated in this consultation. Mr. H M Dhammika Herath and Ms. Dinithi Rajapaksha of University of Kelaniya, Mr. Dayananda Gamage, Controller of Rajarata Service, Mr. Somasiri Wickramasinghe, Controller of Ruhunu Service, Mr. Priyarathne Gamage and Ms. Samanmalee Swarnalatha of Saru Community Radio, Mohemed Faezshan, SLBC, Mr. Thilanka Mannage, an independent activist expressed their views on the challenges and struggles of regional radio in transformation, the reasons why Sri Lanka needs Community Radio etc. Mr. Jayaweera, Dr. Dutta and Mr. Rasmin chaired the sessions. A set of recommendations have been taken by the participants, what mainly focuses on introducing a regulatory framework for independent community radio in Sri Lanka.
