{"id":116778,"date":"2013-12-15T00:55:58","date_gmt":"2013-12-14T19:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=116778"},"modified":"2013-12-21T20:00:25","modified_gmt":"2013-12-21T14:30:25","slug":"the-vilification-of-karu-jayasuriya-and-media-ethics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/the-vilification-of-karu-jayasuriya-and-media-ethics\/","title":{"rendered":"The Vilification Of Karu Jayasuriya And Media Ethics"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Malinda Seneviratne<\/span><\/a> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Malinda<\/a>

Malinda Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

No politician can escape the watchful eyes of the media.\u00a0 Media is a blessing as it is a curse as far as politicians are concerned.\u00a0 It helps and it detracts.\u00a0 This is a reality that all politicians have to learn to live with.\u00a0 Media can make and they can break.<\/p>\n

In a country where the media industry is heavily politicized with prominent media outfits openly backing either politicians or parties scathing attacks are not uncommon.\u00a0 There are of course times when political preference notwithstanding the recipient deserves the criticism, just as others deserve praise.\u00a0 For the most part, however, politics colors reportage and comment, stories are tweaked to varnish blemish or obtain scar; media and ethics don\u2019t always go together.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s fair and unfair in all this, but in recent times no politician has been as unfairly attacked by the media as has been Karu Jayasuriya<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 We are not talking about the occasional cartoon and caustic satirical piece; we are talking about a full scale mud-slinging campaign carried out by well-known media houses.\u00a0 Perhaps this is why when Parliament debated the budgetary allocations for the Media Ministry, Karu Jayasuriya opted to speak on media ethics<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now in politics there are no permanent friends.\u00a0 Even media institutions that wade into the political fray are known to shift loyalty, backing now one and now another.\u00a0 Saints become devils, darlings turn into horrors.\u00a0 Through it all, few would disagree, Karu has shown a kind of equanimity that is very rare in his tribe.\u00a0 This is why Anura Priyadharshana Yapa<\/span><\/a>, one of the more gentlemanly of the MPs in the Government ranks, did himself no favors when he read Karu\u2019s observations on media ethics as an attack on media freedom.\u00a0 Yapa is intelligent enough to know the difference and is no Mervin Silva; he need not have done himself the disservice of warranting comparison.<\/p>\n

The truth is that Karu Jayasuriya has always defended media freedom.\u00a0 He has stood up for the rights of journalists.\u00a0 He has objected to intimidation. Indeed he has defended the very institutions and media personalities who for parochial political reasons spare no pains to sling mud at him.\u00a0 When one considers that these very same institutions and journalists not too long ago were virtually falling over themselves to portray Karu as the country\u2019s savior, one can obtain a sense of the politics of loyalty in both country and the media.<\/p>\n

Interestingly there is very little substance in these attacks.\u00a0 Creative use of headline, turn of phrase and even downright falsehoods have been used to ridicule (\u2018criticize\u2019 is a word that would amount to unwarranted glorification) Karu Jayasuriya.\u00a0 The entire campaign has given new meaning to the term \u2018below the belt\u2019.<\/p>\n

Karu clearly stated, \u2018I am open to criticism and I welcome it!\u2019\u00a0 At no point in his political life has Karu shown any fear of criticism.\u00a0 He has on the rare occasion taken issue with something that was written about him but has always focused on the relevant facts and has always assured that he has no issue with comment.\u00a0 Indeed \u2018Facts are sacred, comment free\u2019 is something Karu seems to respect far more than those who swear by that line do.\u00a0 The attacks on Karu, on the other hand, have nothing to do with facts, sacred or otherwise, and certainly do not add up to \u2018commentary\u2019.\u00a0 Malice, invective, irresponsibility, despicable are some of the words that come to mind if one were to describe what\u2019s being hurled at Karu.<\/p>\n

What is more disturbing about all this is the fact that Karu\u2019s detractors paint themselves as championing the cause of the Opposition.\u00a0 Forget Karu. He\u2019s just one individual.\u00a0 Let\u2019s talk about the Government and the Opposition.\u00a0 There are many reasons to criticize the Government.\u00a0 One could focus on specific individuals, specific incidents, specific policies or even overall ideological thrust.\u00a0 A good case can be made for \u2018change\u2019.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go with that.\u00a0 Let\u2019s add that if politics is a reality then media houses will not be impervious to the political.\u00a0 Let\u2019s assume that they have a role in criticizing and a role in building opposition.<\/p>\n

The problem with these opposition-builders is that those who they attempt to resurrect or beatify are inevitably scarred by the processes of resurrection and beatification, including the \u2018necessary\u2019 element to vilifying potential challengers.\u00a0 What does all the invective and vilification say about the named and unnamed \u2018saints\u2019 in this matter, those individuals and cabals that are being directly or indirectly promoted? What does it say about Sajith Premadasa?<\/p>\n

On the flip side, what does Sajith have to say about all this?\u00a0 Is he thinking, \u2018Karu is a threat and if he\u2019s getting a bit of stick it\u2019s good for me and therefore I shall be silent\u2019?\u00a0 It is perfectly legitimate for anyone to object to anyone else. Sajith does not have to hold a brief for Karu.\u00a0 On the other hand, if it\u2019s about ethics, a different culture of engagement, a better political practice, then can Sajith breathe silent hurrahs for the media outfits and journalists who seem to have abandoned all else in the rush to evict Karu Jayasuriya from the political equation?<\/p>\n

Can Sajith Premadasa<\/span><\/a> remain silent and expect not to be judged on his ideas of media ethics? Can the Government remain silent?\u00a0 Can anyone, really?<\/p>\n

*Malinda Seneviratne is the Chief Editor of \u2018The Nation\u2019\u00a0and his articles can be found at\u00a0www.malindawords.blogspot.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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