Press Council Law to cover electronic and new media

The Cabinet has approved a move to amend the Press Council Law to include electronic and new media as opposed to newspapers only. 

The Sri Lanka Press Council was established by the Sri Lanka Press Council Law No. 05 of 1973 with the objective of preventing any prejudice to the public through press coverage and to establish a cordial relationship between journalists and the public. 

The Government said the provisions of that Act were restricted to newspapers only. 

It has been identified that the Press Council should be structurally reformed and reorganised covering electronic, print and new media as a tribunal for journalists and media institutions and as a centre that promotes media education, hence the need to amend the Press Council Law.