ECSL fires warning shot to TV channel over biased reporting

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) has issued a warning to a Sinhala language television channel for potentially violating election laws by disregarding the media guidelines set by the ECSL during the election period.

In a communique to the media network, the ECSL noted that the channel had ignored the issued guidelines, highlighting that this constitutes a violation of election laws and urging the network to address the matter promptly.

The ECSL highlighted that some of the main accusations against the network include allocating most of its airtime to promote a single candidate and airing morning programs that express insulting opinions about other candidates. Another serious allegation is that the network has been making statements that violate media ethics, even regarding ongoing court proceedings.

In its letter, the Election Commission addressed these concerns and issued a warning to the network, instructing them to immediately rectify these issues and adhere to proper media practices.

The letter noted that the channel “promotes the politicians it favours and insults other parties using public frequencies and airtime.”

Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake emphasised: “In such circumstances if your organisation broadcasts programs as mentioned above, it constitutes a misuse of public frequencies and airtime, which is a violation of the laws in force during the election. Therefore, I urge you to use your frequencies and airtime responsibly to avoid future complaints. For your reference, I am attaching a copy of the relevant Media Guidelines Gazette.”

It was also revealed that the channel manipulated questions posed by their regional correspondents to target National People’s Power (NPP) member K.D. Lalkantha. This allegation was brought to light by NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a press conference held this week.