Contemporary Media Landscape In Sri Lanka

 

    

Media is a method of carrying a message from one place to another, Mass media and digital media called as the main media in Sri Lanka. Mass media is mainly divided into two parts. They are printed media and electronic media. Digital media includes social media, Apps, Software’s etc. The landscape of these media can be explored as follows.

Newspaper is one of the main mass media in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan newspaper industry is divided into three parts according to ownership. They are state owned, private sector and other sectors. Lake House is the only newspaper company controlled by the government of Sri Lanka. When considering the private sector, Vijaya newspaper PVT LTD is a leading newspaper company in Sri Lanka. In addition to that Weerakesari, Upali, Liberator and Ceylon express companies belong to the private sector. Anidda, Sunday Lanka, Aththa etc. can be called as other sector newspapers. Very often, these newspapers play the role of alternatives to promoting political and social visions. By now based on the economic crisis that Sri Lanka is facing, the Sri Lanka newspapers industry has suffered a bit of collapse. Due to that Sri Lankan newspaper industry has uncounted with challenges such as lack of papers and power crisis etc. Because of that the number of pages in newspapers has decreased and the price also increased. Therefore, some newspapers are published as e-newspapers. For example, Saturday newspapers such as Divaina and the island have stopped being printed and they have become e-newspapers. Therefore currently Sri Lankan journalism is moving towards paperless journalism. As modern technology has monopolized almost all the sectors in newspaper industry too has been affected. That’s why we have to agree with the Central bank report where newspaper industry is placed third in mass media. Today, there is no proper regulation for newspapers. Due to this, many ethical violations are reported and newspaper have become a medium based only on profit. Sometimes they use modern promoting technology for this purpose. For example, Mawbima newspaper once, used a small technical device to publish the advertisement in newspapers. Although the newspaper is a medium with delayed responses and feedback, it has changed today and newspaper has been able to avoid idleness and step on to think such as photos, videos and animations etc. The reason for that is the newspapers has joined digital media. As a result of that, almost every newspaper company has a Facebook account and website. At the movement, private sector has over powered the state sector in newspaper society. For example, Vijaya newspaper company. They have been able to cover the needs of every ethnic group and age levels Looking at some newspaper format, it is clear that W5 H1 concept is no in the newspaper reporting.

Sri Lankan radio media is currently owned by the state and private sector. State owned radio channels include City FM, Swadeshiya sewaya, Thendral FM, Rajarata FM, Kandurata FM etc. In private sector radio channels such as Hiru, Derana and Y FM etc. Today there are more than 40 radio channels in Sri Lanka. About 44 of these channels have been licensed under Telecommunication and regulatory commission. Not only that the Indian government has also made it possible for the Sri Lankan listeners to listen to several radio channels from India Nowadays, the monopoly of state radio channels is collapsing while private sector channels are coming up. Not only that the private radio institutes bear the ownership of more than one channels. (Example: ABC media network-Hiru, Sha, Sun, Gold and Sooriyan FM) Some private radio channels follow exploratory reporty system.  Every radio station has started e-radio channels, websites, YouTube channels and Facebook pages. Due to this, the responses and feedback process is developed. By now in Sri Lankan radio channels have increased in quantitatively. But decreased in quality. Similarly, although the announcers have the ability, they don’t have the knowledge about the radio media tradition. not only that, there is one other factor that affected the reduction the quality of the radio. That is not having a common system of ethics for the radio media. In addition to that, regional and community radio channels are now going to extinct. Recently SLBC published an advertisement to give some regional channels belonging to the radio cooperation to the private sector. Political interference in the appointment of heads for state broadcasters has dried up. For example, in the last 2 year, the head of Rajarata radio service has been changed 3 times.  

Sri Lankan TV stations mainly belong to the public and private sector. National TV, ITN, Wasantham TV etc are state sector TV channels. The private TV channels are HIru, Sirasa, Siyatha etc. In reporting, state media always report favor of government and the private media is always in favor of money, politics and personal needs. By now, every TV company has a website, YouTube channel and an FB page. Due to this, the response and feedback process is quite active. Today TV media is making the space for media expansion. There, they are working to give a lot of attention to a very small issue Channels such as Derana and Hiru news alert services have become a popular method of providing news through SMS. Almost every TV channel has a network of regional reporting system. They are named as U-reporter and M-reporter etc. With the advent of technological development, the TV has developed up to a very high standard. So that now we can watch everything taking place in every look and corner of the world through Dialog and Peo TV. Not only that, the ability to rewind and watch missed pregame is very special facility in development of the TV. Also compared to last year, it appears that the import of Indian tele dramas has decreased slightly this year. Today, the role of audience has expanded in many directions. Nowadays, with the advent of smart phones, TV has also become a mobile media. Today’s TV channels are operating as community pregame organizers. By now, we can see, some media institutes maintaining more than one TV channel. Not only that, TV channels are trying to archive their commercial goals by showing social goals. The media people have missed neglected ethical side of their pregame for cheap popularity. TV channels are promoting concept such as popular culture and commercialization have increased.

Looking at the current expansion of Sri Lankan cinema, it is clear that it is in a somewhat backward shape. Nowadays, film producers are reluctant to invest money on film industry. Today, most of the cinema halls near the main cities are closed down. Although the cabinet took a decision to recognize cinema as an industry, there was no discussion about it after that. It is a negative feature that Sri Lankan cinema hasn’t been able to develop its own characteristics until today. Not only that, SriLankan cinema hasn’t been able to build an audience for watching Sinhala films through input like Netflix. By now, there is a tendency to refer to budget filming. Currently, the concepts of mobile filming and wheel cinema are beign discussed in Sri Lanka. Although animation is used for Sri Lankan films, there are no cases where the entire film is animated. As the first animation film in Sri Lanka “Gaja Man” has been screened in this year. Also, the film “Prana/Seeds”, which is being screened in Sri Lanka for first time in three languages. In addition, that Sri Lankan short film sector is currently showing growth. There has been a trend of watching short films on YouTube. As well, documentary film making industry has some development. It has been possible to build a discussion about social issues.

Today, digital media can be called as the most powerful media that has surpassed mass media in Sri Lanka. Any time we use our computer, cell phone, opening web-based systems and apps, we are consuming digital media. By January 2022,11.4 million people in Sri Lanka have used digital media. People of all three generations use digital media. It has been spread in rural and urban areas. but there is some disparity in spread of digital media. It’s a new trend of that, we have been able to take all medias on to one platform. The organization of independent journalists brought a proposal to make digital journalism a profession. Not only that, in 2021 an ethical code for digital media was presented. By now, internet is essential to make digital media work. Today, packages have been introduced for easy payment. The digital media has become the major media which convert the political power. Due to lack of proper regulation of digital media, many problems have arisen today.

According to the above facts, it is clear that the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka has affected the media. As a result, all media have come to the same platform and unique characteristics of the media have been lost. The landscape of contemporary media in Sri Lanka is clear from above factors.

-H.K.Sanduni Navoda-