Cabinet approves new regulations on news web sites

The Cabinet this week approved the amendment of the Sri Lanka Press Council Law No. 5 of 1973 to make Registration of news casting web sites compulsory.

This was on a proposal made by the Minister of Mass Media and Information, Keheliya Rambukwella.

Accordingly, inter alia, a registration fee of Rs 100,000 and an annual renewal fee of Rs. 50,000 will be levied from each website which includes news web sites which have already been registered with the Ministry of Mass Media and Information with effect from 1 January.

The main objective of this amendment is to ensure the contents of the websites do not cause harm to defenceless individuals.

Minister Rambukwella said the Press Council Law which was introduced in 1973 had been amended from time to time in accordance with new trends being developed, new technologies coming in and new methodologies being used in the media field.  Time has now come for the Government to introduce new revisions to the Act in order to accommodate all new technologies and methodologies.