Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-07-11

Initiating a Public Consultation Process on Media Entitlements and Standards

- The Cabinet has already granted approval to implement the proposal for initiating a public consultation process on Media Entitlements and Standards. As such, a public consultation process has been conducted at District level on the concept paper in respect of same enabling the representation of all communities. The then Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media has also conducted several consultative sessions with the members of Maha Sangha, Press Council, Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka and the Managers of the Private Media Institutions. Taking into consideration all relevant views expressed at these sessions, the proposed final draft is in the process of completion.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe, the Prime Minister in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to appoint a Ministerial Sub‑Committee to pursue action in this regard to enable to make the relevant recommendations to the Cabinet, within two(02) months, and for the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media to proceed with the process which has been initiated at the civil society and semi‑government level, was approved by the Cabinet.