By R.A. Ratwatte –
R.A. Ratwatte
The total lack of credibility of all sources of media in this Country is a major concern. We have seen the most incredible stories circulating, wild accusation flying around and the whole thing resembling a particularly ridiculous, cheap Bollywood drama.
Who do we believe? Or do we believe no body! Even the so called independent news papers that carried out an elaborate masquerade, during the dark days of the Rajapaksa regime have now been exposed.
The Daily Mirror was reporting rubbish and although they carried a facility to include comments, nothing detrimental to them was ever published.
The daily Island again carried out a very well disguised campaign but those of us who wrote vitriolic articles soon realised that they were never published. Basically what can we expect when the owner’s husband was holding a top Government job? In recent times, after the change, The daily Island also seems to have removed the velvet glove and started attacking the new regime. The danger here is that a section of the gullible public actually think the editor’s motives were pure. Editor himself has insidiously built up a “good man” image. Notice how no comments to articles are ever published here as well?
*Editors receives interest free car loan from Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa
The Lake house papers are not worth even talking about! However just to play the devil’s advocate a few glimpses may be obtained on occasion, of a few quality journalist still surviving in that hotbed of political appointees.
The privately owned tabloids and TV stations have simply carried out their Masters’ wishes. Private agendas and intrigue and plots to try and shape the future of our Country based on the convoluted thinking of media owners has been par for the course.
We have even turned to radio stations owned by drug kingpins, in desperation!
What have we been reduced to? Our intelligence has been degraded, we are all taken for idiots who believe the figments of imagination that is published and broadcasted as news. What is important to remember here is that it is not only Rajapaksa and his sidekicks who took us for idiots! The So called “captains of Industry” were not slow to jump on the bandwagon and try to achieve their private agendas.
What options are left? The most radical would be to withdraw all licences for these fly by night operators’, draw up a code of conduct with clear legislation for recourse to those affected by libel and defamation and re-issue permits to interested parties.
Meanwhile we should encourage international newspapers to work out of Sri Lanka and thereby give the public properly researched stories with real credibility attached to them.
The current situation is a “madhouse” and if this Government is to survive and be able to complete their plans, a credible source of news is imperative.
Aththa / January 24, 2015
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malaka / January 24, 2015
[Edited out]
We have sent you an email, please reply – then we can approve your comment – CT
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Amarasiri / January 24, 2015
R.A. Ratwatte –
RE: The Credibility Of The Media
Under Medamulana MaRa dictatorship, the media was like whores
Accommodated the needs of MaRa and their cronies.
JVP Press Conference on 21.01.2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&x-yt-cl=84503534&v=8tx2f_o2Oj8&x-yt-ts=1421914688
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Seelawathi / January 24, 2015
You know Amarasiri, I think there will need to hold a series of WORKSHOPs to teach those men and women who worked for state media units about the general guidelines of jouranlism. MR regime has infected even little ones for their political survival – not sure, all these men and women could turn neutral within shorter period of time in order to move on as healthy journalists.
It is a very good step being made by SLTV coooeration to ban all programmes based on astrology. These Chandrasiri Bandara like men are virulent to erode the society rather than the opposite side. I could hardly watch a programme in which Chandrasiri Bandara was in- gesticulating and making every efforts to chatu talk about Mahinda. That was the most silliest presentation on Sirasa.
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Sandun Samarawickrama / January 24, 2015
The harm fated by LTTE leader for the last 30 years is uncalculable. The very same manner the harm Rajapakshes have made to the lanken society alone during the last 5 years is not much less. So all these should be the main focus of today s politicians when ironing out and introducing new systems. I think people were attacked by two means. However the war victory overwelming nature of the average seem to have Rajapakshes to ruin the nation as nothing could help easily. Societal destruction has more impact on the very same people than any other physical losses.
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Ram / January 24, 2015
Your faith in media ‘freedom’ is utterly misplaced. It does not exist, even though we like to pretend otherwise. I suggest you take a look at the following.
http://www.blissful-wisdom.com/who-owns-news-and-media-networks.html
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Amarasiri / January 24, 2015
R.A. Ratwatte –
The Credibility Of The Media
“The total lack of credibility of all sources of media in this Country is a major concern. We have seen the most incredible stories circulating, wild accusation flying around and the whole thing resembling a particularly ridiculous, cheap Bollywood drama.”
Is the following True? Is the social media the only avenue to expose?
[Edited out]
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Jagath Fernando / January 24, 2015
Rajitha
The media institutions in this country are all loss making other than the radio stations. Hence it is envitable that all most all institutions will tow the line of the government simply for survival. All most all TV stations are bankrupt and the newspapers are no better.
Media institutions survive on ads and a big spender is the government. You need to curry favor with the government in power to get get their ads and that is the bottom line.
Also pay sales and perks in media is much lower than that of other professions and hence there is an issue with getting the young from good back grounds to be interested in this noble profession. Hence another reason for their poor conduct.
If you look at all electronic media it is clear that all TV stations other than Sirasa and TNL supported Mahinda for obvious reasons.
Lets wait and see how the institutions behave under the new regime.
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Amarasiri / January 24, 2015
R.A. Ratwatte –
RE: he Credibility Of The Media
How many stories given below did the media report?
Viridu on Mahinda Rajapaksa – Maha Rajapaksa Jathakaya
[Edited out]
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Joke of the day! / January 24, 2015
Mr. Ratwatte, I think it is good for reader’s brain; Sri Lankans will never suffer from Alzheimer since they have to use their brain extensively to find out what the truth is when they read/watch/listen to news media just like a judge spend a lot of time to find out what exactly happened in a criminal case involving thugs who never tell the truth. These days, it is even worse since all news media say the new government is the best in the world and its headman (not the village headman) Maitree is the best president in the universe. Given this news coverage, I’m not surprised if he gets chosen as the most influential leader in the world by Forbes or TIME magazine in 2015! Then comes the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe who is the most patient leader that had waited for decades to be the PM. All of them including those who write foolhardy comments to websites want to catch thieves/crooks who plundered public money during ex-president Rajapakse’s 10 year period. There are tons of news stories about them (without proper names yet though). Curious people are patiently waiting everyday just like PM Wickremasinghe did but so far nothing much has happened. Now news media say there was a coup d’etat too on Jan 8, and public money, time, and space are being spent for extensive and intensive Police investigations; even Law professor, Ex-FM, GL Peiris has been quizzed by the CID as if he were a criminal or a rapist! CID has found 53 cars that belong to Presidential secretariat in a yard leased by the PS and it is a big news item now! I asked myself where the hell these cars are going to be otherwise parked because they include both cars used by Madame Chandrika and Gotabhaya when they were attacked by LTTE suicide bombers. A few days ago, the biggest news item was the raid of Ex-president’s house/estate in Weeraketiya and at the end of the news story it says CID found nothing (no lambroghinis nor helicopters). I asked again myself why on earth Police guys give so much ‘gini’ to the Ex-president for nothing? It shows without any doubt that the Police had been ‘pushed’ by some ‘heavy hand’ to intimidate and humiliate the ex-president. However,it looked like a joke for the MAN who faced Prabhakaran bravely on behalf of all Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese, when ‘heavy world hands’ forcing and telling him to stop!! Now I’m waiting for the next news which may be my next ‘joke of the day!!!
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essie / January 24, 2015
Absolutely correct. In the last few years the only credible news in the so-called newspapers were the obituaries!
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Palayang Yako / January 24, 2015
Joke of the day:
Did you pick your pseudonym to describe yourself or what you have written. If it is both, you have succeeded.
“All of them including those who write foolhardy comments to websites want to catch thieves/crooks who plundered public money during ex-president Rajapakse’s 10 year period.” Damn right they do and they should and when the thieves and murderers are caught and convicted they must be punished.
Your effort to discredit the search for some of the President’s 700+ vehicles (that’s right SEVEN HUNDRED FOR HIS USE!) is a poor excuse for a cover up.
His house at Weeraketiya WAS NOT searched. The house belonging to the Wickremesooriya family which the Rajapaksas stole, in Tangalle and called “Carlton” by the Wickremesooriyas was what was searched. Why don’t you try denying that fact?
As for “Now I’m waiting for the next news which may be my next ‘joke of the day!!! ” Don’t bother to do that, just look in the mirror!
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thondamannar / January 24, 2015
How could Ratwatte point the finger at the credibility of the media when the political circles are full of Goebbels on whose info they just feed on.
What must be demanded is an Investigative Media and not a mafia.
two wrongs does not make one right.
Todays media too are working hard to qualify for lap tops.
Yahapalanaya under seige with Goebbels in their ranks involved in political trickery.
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justice / January 24, 2015
Cost of “free laptops” should be converted to loans, with repayment monthly on easy terms by media persons who received them.
So should “free car loans” be converted.
This is necessary correct the corruption of media persons, by the former regime.
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sinhalese buddhist / January 24, 2015
I too have been lamenting the lack of well researched, accurate and well-rounded news emanating from Sri Lanka via the various media, including on-line sources.
So far I have not seen even one article, that I would classify having passed the above criteria. Most often what passes for a news article is either an opinion or rumour disguised as “news” lacking any kind of supporting research. Are there any professionally trained polling agencies that conduct social science research? If so, hey definitely are not getting heard.
On the side of the government, the bloated cabinet, and multiple levels if redundant politicians seem to not be coordinating their publicity. Consequently politicians from the same party or group make conflicting statements, thus eroding their own credibility in the eyes of the public.
Social media activists, on the other hand, seem to come from very polarized groups and don’t seem to take multiple perspectives in to account when engaging in journalism. Thus their output seems highly biased and agenda-based.
I think all these people, political spokespeople, social activists, newspaper/TV/radio journalists would all benefit from some rigorous professional training that is devoid of political manipulation.
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Swin / January 25, 2015
Yeswhar we need Is “I think all these people, political spokespeople, social activists, newspaper/TV/radio journalists would all benefit from some rigorous professional training that is devoid of political manipulation.”
If you look at the history of elections Each ruling party has done the same. People forget that freedom of speech and freedom of information was at worst during the former UNP and SLFP governments. There was censorship. We saw news papers with big bank spaces.
Journalists killed cameras trashed.
Now we have online information and then again people distort information digital pictures and so on.
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Joke of the day! / January 25, 2015
To Palayang Yako! If you don’t know who Wickremasooriya is please give a call to Ex-predident’s wife Ms Shiranthi Rajapaksa. She will politely explain whom the house/estate in Weeraketiya belongs to. At the end of her conversation she may say ‘Palayang Yako’ but please don’t get upset because it is your name!
As you requested I looked in the mirror but found, to my surprise, a weird cartoon character with no semblance to me; on its forehead was your pseudo name tattooed to my surprise again! I thought I should report this incident to Colombo Telegraph immediately so that other readers (if they ever encounter the same weird fellow) would not get scared!
Ane Palayang Yako! Thanks.
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