Sri Lanka It's Happening

March 21, 2004

Sri Lankan has a sad state of affairs where the biggest TV and radio stations (widest coverage) and the biggest newspaper company are maintained at public funds for the benefit of the party in power. Politians of all colors have promised to privatise them as soon as they come to power, and when they do infact come to power they use as their private propoganda machine - just like the previous regime used to do.

The commisioner of elections has threatened to appoint a competent authority to takeover the TV station and the newspaper during these election times. It remains to be seen if the political parties co operate with him. I doubt if they will.

The reason is if a competent authority is appointed it will act as a precedent and at the next elections the same thing can happen again. No party wants it because then they will be unable to make use of the propoganda machine when they contest the next election.