• Govt. asks web media to submit personal details like children’s names for registration renewal  

The Government has mandated the State-issued media identification card for all journalists who wish to cover the Cabinet press briefing. However, media associations have raised serious concerns about the long arm of the State affecting press freedom and objective journalism in this manner. 

The issue first arose at the end of April when Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced that the Government media ID was mandatory for all journalists covering the Cabinet press briefing. On 8 May, Shantha Wijesooriya, the Editor of Lanka Sky News (a web-based media organisation), was denied entry to the Cabinet press briefing, as he did not hold the Government media ID. 

A meeting that followed on Wednesday (14) between media stakeholders and Dr. Jayatissa had seen the Media Minister cementing the decision. Department of Government Information (DGI) Director General H.S.K.J. Bandara told The Sunday Morning that mandatory Government media IDs were required only to cover the Cabinet press briefing and not for other State media conferences. 

“This is not a tool of oppression, nor was this action taken to place limitations on the Cabinet press briefing,” said Bandara. 

He added that the Government was intent on protecting the quality and professionalism of the media industry. “We encourage journalists to obtain the Government media ID as it would help us in conducting feasibility studies about the industry and in giving scholarships to them as well,” he said. 

Bandara also highlighted the need to ensure that only professional journalists accessed the Cabinet press briefing – the Government’s primary dialogue with media – pointing to an incident last December where even a ‘kapuwa’ had sat in the audience. 

Long-term consequences 

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association (SLWJA) President Duminda Sampath criticised the Government’s decision: “The Government is still unwilling to let go of its power to determine who a journalist is. It may now say this is only needed for the Cabinet press briefing, but in the future it may say that it’s needed in other instances too, such as to even cover a picketing campaign on the road. And we will be forced to accept it.” 

He went on to explain the long-term consequences of mandating the Government-issued media ID: “If the Police asks us for the Government ID, we may have to show it. That’s where they are trying to take us by deciding who is a journalist. 

“Journalists who are not writing in favour of the Government may have their applications for a Government media ID rejected, and we will be forced to accept that too, because the Government would be in charge of defining who a journalist is. The Government should step away from issuing licences to the media.” 

Sampath’s solution was to mainstream the media IDs issued by accredited professional media organisations like the SLWJA. Similar to how the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and engineering associations issued IDs to lawyers and engineers respectively, Sampath recommended that media IDs be issued by professional associations or an independent body like the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI). 

“If the Government is genuinely interested in media freedom, it can then facilitate that process but not intervene in it. However, we didn’t see that interest from the Minister’s attitude on Wednesday,” he noted.

Sampath said they would request another meeting about the issue, although the Minister had only mentioned meeting again to discuss the formulation of a national media policy and a media institution. 

“The media industry also needs to think about this issue more seriously and openly. We are also hoping to speak with other media associations through the SLPI,” he added. 

Worrying twist 

In a worrying turn of events, web-based media organisations that attempted to get their media organisation registration licences renewed had been requested to submit personal details about family members and criminal activities as well. 

In the past, web-based media organisations were required to register with the Media Ministry after obtaining a Ministry of Defence clearance. This week, when one web media owner had visited the Media Ministry to get their registration renewed, they had been given a form requesting a number of additional personal details, including:

• Father’s name 
• Mother’s name 
• Siblings’ information 
• Spouse’s name and NIC number 
• Children’s names and their schools/professions 
• Details about family members who were suspected to be or have been involved in anti-State/terror activities 

Professional Web Journalists’ Association (PWJA) Convener Freddy Gamage said they had not been invited for last week’s discussion at the Media Ministry, nor had the ministry responded to requests for discussions over the last few months. 

“We need to come up with a holistic solution to this problem of accrediting journalists instead of going for solutions when issues arise. With previous governments as well, we tried to explain that the media industry is not just in the south, but also in the north and the east. 

“However, I don’t think the Media Ministry or the Department of Government Information are even properly aware of the media in the north and east. There are a considerable number of websites there and the north and east have the strongest provincial media presence. We need a holistic approach which considers these factors, including the increasing popularity of web media over the past few years,” he said. 

Gamage added that the PWJA considered web journalists as those who engaged in ethics-based web journalism as a profession. 

The PWJA was not invited for the initial discussion by the Government on the national media policy either. “Afterwards they sent a letter requesting us to give our ideas, especially about ethics and standards.”

A journalist based in Mullaitivu expressed their displeasure at the Government issuing media IDs, noting that in the north, many journalists did not have one. 

“But when the President or ministers come to the north and east, security personnel and Police ask for the Government-issued media ID. This is a restriction. Some of us contribute to national newspapers without even receiving a proper payment; we work with them only to receive this media ID,” they said.  

Laws and practices 

Media Law Forum Chairperson Viranjana Herath said there was no existing law at the moment to require a Government media ID from a journalist. 

“The Government media ID states to allow journalists to do their job without interfering. In other countries, media IDs aren’t issued by the government. They are issued by associations like the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) or local associations. The recent decision by the Government was an arbitrary one, and hence wrong. But that doesn’t mean everyone should be allowed to come cover the Cabinet press briefing,” he said.

Herath encouraged media organisations to unite and propose a solution for the accreditation issue, for instance, by accepting an independent body to accredit journalists, thus removing the power of the Government to regulate media.

Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni told The Sunday Morning that the Government ID was required only to cover Cabinet press briefings. Attempts to contact Minister Jayatissa proved futile.