The Minister of Health and Mass Media, Nalinda Jayatissa, has reiterated that television broadcasting licences issued by the Ministry of Mass Media are conditional and can be revoked if broadcasters fail to comply with stipulated requirements.
He made these remarks while addressing an event held today (December 29) at the Health Promotion Bureau, organised to recognise media personnel who have made significant contributions to promoting public health awareness and disseminating accurate health information to the public.
Minister Jayatissa emphasised that all television channel licences in Sri Lanka are issued on a temporary basis and are subject to strict conditions at the time of issuance. He stressed that broadcasting is a serious responsibility involving public trust and the use of national frequencies, and therefore cannot be treated lightly.
“News reporting must not be careless or harmful to the public,” the Minister said, adding that the government would not hesitate to take action when standards are violated.
He further noted that television has a much wider reach today, and that newspaper headlines and articles are often read out during television news bulletins. While this practice initially involved only presenting headlines, he pointed out that some presenters now add personal opinions and interpretations, which can mislead viewers.
The Minister warned that such practices are especially dangerous when reporting on sensitive issues such as public health. He added that media personnel frequently handle critical data, statistics and factual information related to health, the national economy and national security, and must therefore exercise extreme caution.
“When incorrect figures or misleading commentary are broadcast, the consequences can be serious,” he said. “If news reporting harms public health, the Minister has the authority to revoke the relevant licence. Prior to that, formal notices will be issued seeking corrections, and compliance is mandatory.”
Concluding his remarks, Minister Jayatissa stressed that public trust in health-related information is vital for national progress. He warned that once confidence in the health sector is undermined, achieving meaningful outcomes becomes extremely difficult.
