Media Minister is on wrong track

All politicians love the media as long as they are in Opposition and turn the guns on them once they are in power. It’s a love-hate relationship and successive governments in Sri Lanka have, at varying levels, used different methods to silence the media, some going to the extreme extent of killing journalists to physically harming and threatening them while others have either used existing laws or brought in new laws to rein in the media.

“Freedom of the media is not the freedom of the wild ass” is the phrase used by Media Minister Vijitha Herath recently. It is one used by politicians from many political parties and a clear sign that the new Government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, like others before them, are becoming less tolerant of criticism, that too early into their term in office.

There is something not right with the use of language of those in this Government in general and in particular when taking on the media. “We want to remove the dirty soiled clothes and make them (the media) wear new clothes. They are still stuck in the same old places. We have not touched them which is why there is freedom of the wild ass but if this continues, we will have to act” were the words of Vijitha Herath when questioned by journalists.

He is not alone in attacking certain media institutions in particular. Other seniors in the party too have done the same and this is likely to continue.

The Government’s frustration at not being able to control what gets published, broadcast or telecast in privately owned media is understandable. That most media organisations are owned by people who also have political interests is no secret, but this is true of all countries. The biggest media institutions are pitted against each other in supporting different political parties and politicians and it’s far from an ideal situation, but the decision lies with the public on which media institutions that they can trust and the ones they don’t. It’s not for politicians to decide. 

The total lack of ethics and peddling of lies over some mainstream media will not only anger politicians but the public too. But trying to rein in the media is a slippery slope and politicians do so at their own peril.

People trust the media more than they trust any politician, even though politicians like to think otherwise. It is the media that holds politicians accountable when they go off the rails and they give a voice to the people, expose corruption and social ills. What gets published in a newspaper or is broadcast or telecast in mainstream media carries more weight than any fancy speeches that a politician makes.

The President and his party are also largely creations for the media. The very same media institutions that Minister Herath finds fault with were once their darlings, giving them large amounts of airtime and free publicity. Then there are some media institutions that are closely aligned to the Government and have become their mouthpiece and spread lies and disseminate misinformation against opposition politicians. It’s two sides of the same coin and it’s a bit naïve to pick one side that you like because they are full of praise for you and ditch the other side because they criticise you.

Those in the NPP must understand that they aren’t the only ones who have gotten bad press. Politicians from other parties too have had to face criticism and scrutiny as it should be in a democratic country. Any attempt to stifle the media will not help the Government. In fact, it will be counterproductive and distract from the work it plans to carry out in the next few years. 

The phrase popularised by a one time US President Harry Truman goes, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Or in other words, the Government should get on with its work and leave the media alone. As the days go by, the heat will get more intense.