The Government will amend the Press Council Law and the Rupavahini Corporation Act and set up a ‘National Development Media Centre’.

Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella presented the proposal in this regard and it was approved at the Cabinet meeting on Monday.

The Centre will function under the Mass Media Ministry to convey accurate information on Government policies and development efforts to the public.

The provisions of the Sri Lanka Press Council Law No 5 of 1973 will be amended to include electronic and new media in addition to the print media.

“The Sri Lanka Press Council has been set up to prevent any prejudice to the public through press coverage and to establish a cordial relationship between journalists and the public. The provisions are restricted to newspapers only. It has been identified that the Press Council should be reformed to cover electronic, print and new media as a tribunal for journalists and media institutions and as a centre that promotes media education,” the Cabinet proposal stated.

The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Act No 6 of 1982 will be amended to increase the number of Board of Directors from 7 to 9. “The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation has played a significant role in the media in Sri Lanka for the past 38 years. To deal appropriately with the intense media competition, the need to change the composition of the Board of Directors of 7 members, which is empowered to make decisions and implement them, has been identified. Therefore, the Cabinet approved the proposal to increase the number of Board Members up to 9 by including a representative of the Treasury and the Secretary to the Line Ministry in charge of the subject or a representative of that Ministry he appointed,” the Cabinet proposal stated.