Sri Lanka's media divide along language and ethnic lines, with the state and private

operators offering services.

Media outlets are divided along ethnic lines
Many of the main outlets are state-owned, including two major TV stations, radio networks
operated by the Sri LankaBroadcasting Corporation (SLBC), and newspapers in Sinhala, Tamil
and English.
There are more than a dozen private radios, and a handful of privately-run TV stations. Sri
Lanka's privately-owned press and broadcasters often engage in political debate, and criticise
government policies.
Dangerous
At the height of the civil war Sri Lanka was described as one of the most dangerous places in
the world for journalists.
The state of emergency imposed at the beginning of the conflict was lifted in 2011, but
Reporters Without Borders says that murders, threats and censorship continue, with top officials
"directly implicated" in serious press freedom violations.
The government is particularly sensitive to accusations of human rights abuses in the closing
phases of the civil war and subsequently. In 2012, a minister said "mudslinging" would not be
tolerated.
In April 2013, Amnesty International said that Sri Lanka was still violently suppressing dissent
and that journalists were among the targets of "government-sanctioned abuse".
BBC World Service is carried by the SLBC under an agreement between the broadcasters.
There were more than 3.2 million internet users by June 2012 (Internetworldstats.com). The
web is a popular and growing medium for news.
The government has stepped up online censorship, blocking access to some independent
news websites, reports US-based Freedom House.
Press
Daily News - state-owned, English-language daily
The Island - private, English-language daily
Daily Mirror - private, English-language daily
Dinamina - state-owned, Sinhala daily
Lankadeepa - private, Sinhala daily
Lakbima - private, Sinhala daily
Uthayan - private, Jaffna-based Tamil daily
Virakesari - private, Tamil daily
Television
Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC)- state-owned, operates Rupavahini in Sinhala,
Channel Eye in English and Nethra in Tamil
Independent Television Network (ITN) - state-run, Sri Lanka's first TV station
Sirasa TV - private, Sinhala
MTV Sports - private, English-language
TNL - private, English-language
ART TV - private
ETV - private, English-language
Swarnavahini - private, Sinhala
Shakthi TV - private, Tamil
Radio
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) - state-owned, operates domestic services in
Sinhala, Tamil and English, including widely-listened-to Commercial Service
TNL Radio - private, English-language
Sun FM - private, English-language
Yes FM - private, English-language
Sirasa FM - private, Sinhala
Shree FM - private, Sinhala
Sooriyan FM - private, Tamil
Shakthi FM - private, Tamil
News agencies/internet
Lankapuvath - state-owned
TamilNet - US-based Tamil news site, widely described as pro-Tamil Tiger

Sri Lanka profile
Full name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Population: 21.2 million (UN, 2012)
Capital: Colombo (commercial), Sri Jayawardenepura (administrative)
Largest city: Colombo
Area: 65,610 sq km (25,332 sq miles)
Major languages: Sinhala, Tamil, English
Major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity
Life expectancy: 72 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: Sri Lankan rupee
Main exports: Clothing and textiles, tea, gems, rubber, coconuts
GNI per capita: US $2,580 (World Bank, 2011)
Internet domain: .lk
International dialling code: +94


Media of Sri Lanka consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio,
newspapers, magazines, and Web sites. State and private media operators provide services in
the main languages Sinhala, Tamil and English. The government owns two major TV stations,
radio networks operated by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), and newspaper
titles in Sinhala, Tamil, and English.
After the growth of Sri Lankan economy, many satellite TV channels were introduced.
However, there are over a dozen privately owned radio stations and more than 30 privately
operated television stations.They often engage in political debates.
The use of the internet is a growing force within Sri Lanka, many of the newspapers now have
online editions. Because of the limited circulation for the daily and weekly newspapers, they are
heavily dependent on advertising. As a result of this it is very rare to see Sri Lankan
newspapers engage in investigative journalism or daring exposes of big business.
Freedom of Press
Press freedom is a major concern in Sri Lanka. Both sides in the war make efforts to
silence inconvenient reporters. Around 15 reporters received death threats from one
faction or the other in 2004 The assassinated reporter Aiyathurai Nadesan,
correspondent in Batticaloa for several Tamil media stated just prior to his
assassination in 2005:
We are caught between a rock and a hard place. It is very difficult for us to check
reports either with the security forces or the Tamil Tigers. And when a news item on
local events is datelined Colombo, it puts us at risk of reprisals on the ground.
In 2005, the Tamil newspaper Thinakkural was threatened by Karuna. Copies of the
newspaper were burned in the Eastern provinces.On the other hand, distribution of the
Tamil weekly Thinamurasu is blocked by the LTTE because it is close to another
armed group, the EPDP.
BBC World Service stopped its broadcast in Sinhalese and Tamil for fear of reprisal
against its reporters.
During the Rajapaksa administration, press freedom in Sri Lanka became the "worst in
any democratic country",according to the Reporters without borders index, ranking 165th
among 173 countries in the index. On 21 November 2008, a twelve-member group of
masked men, forcibly entered the printing press of Sunday Leader, Morning Leader
and Irudina Sinhala weekly and set fire damaging printing machines and copies of
newspapers printed ready for distribution. The state jammed transmission of BBC
programs which contained content the government disliked. The main private TV
network Sirasa was repeatedly threatened by ministerMervyn Silva, attacked by a petrol
bomb on 2.1.2009 and raided by gunmen on 6.1.2009, who set on fire the main
control room. This was in response to SLBC criticizing Sirasa's coverage of the capture
of Kilinochchi.
According to the head of the company, Chevaan Daniel: "It's either that the citizens of
Sri Lanka are able to drive around attacking institutions armed with weapons and
grenades, or there is a hand behind it."
Lasantha Wickrematunge, the chief editor of the English Weekly Sunday Leader and Sri
Lanka's most influential journalist, was assassinated on the Thursday January 8, 2008
by unknown gunmen. The newspaper and its editor as well as the editor of Morning
Leader have been harassed and threatened continuously during the preceding three
years. All Leader publications are very critical towards the government and exponents
of opposition political views.According to Reporters without Borders, the Rajapaksa
administration blocks investigations into the murder of journalists.
Defence minister Gotabhaya Rajapaksa threatened to chase Chris Morris, a BBC
journalists, out of the country, if he does not act responsibly.
Local reporters in the country continue to be threatened, as was the case with 54-year-
old M.I. Rahmathulla, who was beaten in April 2009 for reporting on political
corruption in the Batticaloa region of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province.