It’s official. 2020 has officially been declared as one of the six most miserable years in history according to a CNN report. We here in Sri Lanka have had our fair share of problems, and what differentiates us from the rest is that many of these were manufactured by our own actions, primarily due to putting wrong people in the wrong places.
The beginning of a new year is often the time for new resolutions and new beginnings. What Sri Lanka needs to do urgently is to fix its broken and abused system of governance. With a new constitution likely to see the light of day later this year, now is as good a time as any for some serious introspection on what has gone wrong and what needs to be fixed to climb out of the rut. It is important that society as a whole gets involved in this process of introspection with the media playing the role of facilitator.
The urgency for it stems from the repetition of events orchestrated with the intention of diverting attention from the real issues affecting the people. The now familiar cycle of desecration of religious statues and artefacts is a case in point, where irresponsible media hype often leads to further division of communities on religious and ethnic lines, playing into the hands of scheming politicians. The media, which should be playing the role of keeping watch on the larger interest of society, must accept its share of the blame for falling short on fulfilling its expected role more often than not.
For starters, it is imperative that the news agenda needs to change. Sri Lanka is probably the only country in the world where a politician visiting a place of religious worship is headline news. A voice cut after the visit is now part of the package that is dished out to the public in the name of news. The whole news culture revolves around the idea of the politician being put on a pedestal and being accorded unnecessary importance. Where in the world do we find politicians visiting places of religious worship with hordes of media crews in tow? Does it not indicate the bankruptcy of a media culture that has grown accustomed to easy news rather than the more difficult task of painstaking investigation in unearthing the real issues that have a real impact on society? It’s not that there is any shortage on that score with the country limping from one controversy to another on a daily basis.
Today’s voice cut journalism has replaced what used to be real journalism, where issues are thoroughly investigated and politicians rather than being put on pedestals are held accountable for their actions. The media is not called the fourth estate for nothing. Unfortunately, as in most things these days, the easy way out is the name of the game.
The people too have a role to play by putting the media under pressure by the manner in which they consume what is dished out. In the good old days and what still holds good for the larger part is the matter of credibility. The ultimate compliment a journalist or a media institution could aspire to is the credibility accorded to him or her or the institution. This does not come easy and takes years of hard work which regrettably has made it a dying culture in the new world order where pandering to the institutional agenda takes precedence over credibility. Today, no media institution in the world can claim to be truly independent. Everyone has their agenda – some in your face, and others more subtle with the primary driver being survival in an increasingly challenging environment.
Despite the advent of citizen journalism on social media platforms, mainstream media is still a powerful force that can influence the masses and make or break governments. Which is why coercion and suppression is very much a part of government agenda, be it in the US, Africa, or Asia. While that remains the reality, it is important that the media is accorded the democratic space to have its say. But having said that, they must be responsible enough to put national interest at the top of the agenda and the best way to do that is to be mindful of public interest.
For 72 years, Sri Lanka has struggled and faltered in finding its feet thanks to the short-sighted games that politicians have played. The story continues while the media plays ball. It’s a vicious cycle that can only be broken through collective effort but that is asking for the impossible.
It’s not that no one has tried. Next week will mark the 12th death anniversary of a journalist who did try and paid the price for it. Lasantha Wickrematunge was a thorn in the flesh to the establishment and kept it on its toes. His demise has left a void that is yet to be filled. He set the standard on how it should be done but it is a benchmark that no one would want to aspire to for obvious reasons.
If Sri Lanka is to prosper, corruption has to be eliminated. For that to happen, the media has to play watchdog. The distinction must be made that highlighting corruption does not make one anti-government but in fact patriotic for acting in the public interest. A government with the interest of the country at heart should ideally welcome such disclosure. It is only when those in authority understand this distinction that the country can move forward.
There is no reason for those in authority to fear constructive criticism and as history has shown, when taken in the right spirit, it often results in a vibrant democracy and successful governance. The media has the power to strengthen governance in its truest sense and many are the benefits of fostering a vibrant media culture.
As we embark on a new year that is likely to be full of challenges, it is important that the authorities focus on the issues that matter without being dragged down by sideshows that count for nothing. The media for its part, has the opportunity to redefine itself by placing the public interest at its core. Holding to account those that cross the line is part and parcel of that duty.
The beginning of a new year is often the time for new resolutions and new beginnings. What Sri Lanka needs to do urgently is to fix its broken and abused system of governance. With a new constitution likely to see the light of day later this year, now is as good a time as any for some serious introspection on what has gone wrong and what needs to be fixed to climb out of the rut. It is important that society as a whole gets involved in this process of introspection with the media playing the role of facilitator.
The urgency for it stems from the repetition of events orchestrated with the intention of diverting attention from the real issues affecting the people. The now familiar cycle of desecration of religious statues and artefacts is a case in point, where irresponsible media hype often leads to further division of communities on religious and ethnic lines, playing into the hands of scheming politicians. The media, which should be playing the role of keeping watch on the larger interest of society, must accept its share of the blame for falling short on fulfilling its expected role more often than not.
For starters, it is imperative that the news agenda needs to change. Sri Lanka is probably the only country in the world where a politician visiting a place of religious worship is headline news. A voice cut after the visit is now part of the package that is dished out to the public in the name of news. The whole news culture revolves around the idea of the politician being put on a pedestal and being accorded unnecessary importance. Where in the world do we find politicians visiting places of religious worship with hordes of media crews in tow? Does it not indicate the bankruptcy of a media culture that has grown accustomed to easy news rather than the more difficult task of painstaking investigation in unearthing the real issues that have a real impact on society? It’s not that there is any shortage on that score with the country limping from one controversy to another on a daily basis.
Today’s voice cut journalism has replaced what used to be real journalism, where issues are thoroughly investigated and politicians rather than being put on pedestals are held accountable for their actions. The media is not called the fourth estate for nothing. Unfortunately, as in most things these days, the easy way out is the name of the game.
The people too have a role to play by putting the media under pressure by the manner in which they consume what is dished out. In the good old days and what still holds good for the larger part is the matter of credibility. The ultimate compliment a journalist or a media institution could aspire to is the credibility accorded to him or her or the institution. This does not come easy and takes years of hard work which regrettably has made it a dying culture in the new world order where pandering to the institutional agenda takes precedence over credibility. Today, no media institution in the world can claim to be truly independent. Everyone has their agenda – some in your face, and others more subtle with the primary driver being survival in an increasingly challenging environment.
Despite the advent of citizen journalism on social media platforms, mainstream media is still a powerful force that can influence the masses and make or break governments. Which is why coercion and suppression is very much a part of government agenda, be it in the US, Africa, or Asia. While that remains the reality, it is important that the media is accorded the democratic space to have its say. But having said that, they must be responsible enough to put national interest at the top of the agenda and the best way to do that is to be mindful of public interest.
For 72 years, Sri Lanka has struggled and faltered in finding its feet thanks to the short-sighted games that politicians have played. The story continues while the media plays ball. It’s a vicious cycle that can only be broken through collective effort but that is asking for the impossible.
It’s not that no one has tried. Next week will mark the 12th death anniversary of a journalist who did try and paid the price for it. Lasantha Wickrematunge was a thorn in the flesh to the establishment and kept it on its toes. His demise has left a void that is yet to be filled. He set the standard on how it should be done but it is a benchmark that no one would want to aspire to for obvious reasons.
If Sri Lanka is to prosper, corruption has to be eliminated. For that to happen, the media has to play watchdog. The distinction must be made that highlighting corruption does not make one anti-government but in fact patriotic for acting in the public interest. A government with the interest of the country at heart should ideally welcome such disclosure. It is only when those in authority understand this distinction that the country can move forward.
There is no reason for those in authority to fear constructive criticism and as history has shown, when taken in the right spirit, it often results in a vibrant democracy and successful governance. The media has the power to strengthen governance in its truest sense and many are the benefits of fostering a vibrant media culture.
As we embark on a new year that is likely to be full of challenges, it is important that the authorities focus on the issues that matter without being dragged down by sideshows that count for nothing. The media for its part, has the opportunity to redefine itself by placing the public interest at its core. Holding to account those that cross the line is part and parcel of that duty.