- What press freedom means in a digital age
To say Sri Lanka is experiencing difficult times is an understatement – the prevailing political and economic instability has transformed into a feeling of general chaos. This past week we witnessed varying degrees of violence, the attempted dismantling of the month-long peaceful protests at Galle Face Green, and numerous other aggressive actions carried out by both the public and law enforcement.
The role of the media, and most notably, digital media, became very significant, allowing the public to see what was happening almost in real-time, with social media playing a noteworthy role. Amidst the broadcasters were a mixed bag of independent journalists, digital media institutions, traditional media, and most notably citizen journalists who took it upon themselves to share their own first-hand experiences with their audiences in real-time.
This advent of social media journalism begs the question – how has this new media in the digital space affected the dissemination of information, the reliability of news, and also press freedom?
We reached out to a number of journalists for their thoughts:
Digitally, you can face harassment faster: Amalini De Sayrah
Speaking with Brunch, independent digital media journalist and researcher Amalini De Sayrah shared that social media had opened up a space where people could now voice their opinions. She noted that while lay people had a platform to voice their thoughts, it had also extended the same platform to journalists to do their work beyond institutional barriers.
“Those in the media are able work beyond institutions, to be more local, more creative,” she said, adding: “It has given journalists a direct line of communication with the public and a human face they can establish a connection with as opposed to a byline which they engage with a couple of times a week,” she said.
De Sayrah did note, however, that there were negatives to this kind of exposure, especially owing to the fact that while the connection was direct, so too, was the criticism and harassment that sometimes came with being a journalist. “Where in the past you would pen a scathing letter to the editor, this direct line of access opens journalists up to, at best, criticism and at worst, harassment, much faster,” she said, adding that any backlash was faced much more directly by a digital journalist than would have been the case with traditional media.
De Sayrah also added that while the digital space and its freedom were afforded to most, this was not always the case, citing certain incidents that took place in Batticaloa just a few weeks ago where journalists were questioned by the Police for recording. De Sayrah stressed that we should all be mindful of the fact that, “even digitally, not everyone can use the space without that also being held against you”.
Tomorrow’s media is web media and we must follow ethical practices: Freddy Gamage
Professional Web Journalists Association (PWJA) Convener Freddy Gamage spoke of the responsibilities that befell web journalists and how they had the responsibility to be an example to all those who follow in their footsteps, specifically citizens journalists.
“We do believe tomorrow’s media is web media. Regimes are already trying to control online media and so we have a big responsibility to affect online media freedom and ensure good and ethical practices. As web journalists we developed our own code of ethics,” he said, adding :“It is a common narrative used to suppress web journalists’ credibility by saying that it is all mainly gossip which then allows rulers to say that there’s a need for the law to control what is being said.”
Gamage noted that this period of law and control was not a workable solution and it may amount to censorship. Therefore, the PWJA urged new web media journalists to keep in mind that it was good to follow a code of ethics, noting that they themselves, on their platforms, always ensured the right to reply on all news articles and referenced sources, and that they encouraged others to do the same.
Speaking about citizen journalists, Gamage added: “We as an association recognise that we must help them follow ethical practices. It is a big responsibility and we as an organisation are ready to work with digital journalists through our platforms.”
Press freedom is a collective effort: Upul Kumarapperuma
Speaking with Brunch about press freedom in the digital sphere, Attorney-at-Law Upul Kumarapperuma stated: “Press freedom is a collective effort; law enforcement, the Executive, the general public, and the media all should get together to ensure press freedom.” Kumarapperuma also noted that in Sri Lanka, when it came to the Executive and law enforcement, the press faced many challenges. He noted how restrictions were imposed by the Executive and carried out by law enforcement.
Journalists are often wrongly prosecuted, most notably under Section 120 of the Penal Code on the grounds of ‘Exciting or attempting to excite disaffection’. This tactic is often used in instances where one criticises systems of government. “You cannot use this provision to charge a person for criticising the Government,” Kumarapperuma said. “Despite this, however, a number of journalists have been subject to prosecution and in more recent times those who have expressed their views online have also been subject to the same treatment.”
Kumarapperuma also shared the view that there would not be 100% press freedom until all stakeholders; that is the public, the Government, law enforcement, and also the media, were on the same page and were educated enough about responsible media and the importance of press freedom. Particularly in Sri Lanka, there needs to be a fundamental attitudinal change toward the treatment of media and their obligations.
Social media and digital platforms have done away with responsible media: Thaha Muzammil
While many are positive about the advent of the digital media space and the opening up of platforms for diverse opinions to reach the masses, Free Media Movement (FMM) Treasurer and South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) National Organiser Thaha Muzammil said: “Social media and digital public platforms have done away with responsible media.”
Drawing attention to the trend of journalists being considered influencers or personalities, Muzammil shared that when one was lauded as a celebrity, one had more incentive to sensationalise. This, particularly in Sri Lanka, is the type of information that gets traction. “Rumours tend to have a lot of reach, with the public not taking every method possible to verify the information they receive,” he said, adding that this had lent itself to the spreading of misinformation on a large scale.
Muzammil however noted that print media was gradually waning and while there were some who were doing incredible work online, it was the responsibility of all to ensure that media ethics and responsible journalism were practised even online.
Media sector reform is needed alongside political and economic reform: Nalaka Gunawardene
Media Analyst Nalaka Gunawardene also opined that digital media was here to stay – both in terms of devices (most notably the smartphone) as well as online tools and platforms for easy self-publication. However, he did note that this did not mean that professional journalists were obsolete or irrelevant. In fact, they must now play an even greater role in the crowded media and information ecosystem of news, views, and entertainment.
“Anyone with a smartphone connected to the web may bear witness to unfolding events and share them,” Gunawardene said, adding: “The more citizens who exercise this right, the better for an open society. While bearing witness is a key part of what professional journalists also do, the performance of that act by itself does not make anyone a journalist. Journalism is a lot more than aim, shoot, and share. It involves careful curation of what its practitioners witness, along with what they dig out and make sense of. Good journalism requires reporting events with accuracy, balance, and sufficient context – and doing so within a framework of media ethics and the public interest. In today’s multimedia reality, good journalism may be published online, on the airwaves, or on paper, but the considered process behind it sets it apart from everything else.”
Expanding further, Gunawardene shared that products of good journalism co-existed with many other types of content coming, for example, from social or political activists, political spin doctors, public relations campaigners, and others. All such parties were exercising their right to freedom of expression but not everyone who self-published operates ethically or in the public interest.
The easy availability and honing of digital tools since the beginning of this century have enabled good journalism to be reinvented and reinvigorated. Gunawardene explained that due to this, pursuits such as data journalism, data visualisations and multimedia journalistic storytelling, and crowdsourcing of information were becoming commonplace, impacting media freedom and how we need to define it. “In my view, media freedom is much more than simply protecting journalistic integrity from an overbearing state or agenda-setting private owners. That is certainly the foundation of media freedom, but it does not end there,” he explained. “The outputs of journalism need to be valued by society for the community to spring to its defence. Appreciative media consumers would be the finest bulwark for media freedom.”
“The media is partly responsible for the unprecedented economic and political crises Sri Lanka now faces. They are as much in the dock (or should be!) as the greedy politicians and compromised public officials for failing to uphold public accountability and even joining the gravy train leading to national bankruptcy. That is why media sector reforms are needed alongside political reforms and economic reforms,” Gunawardene concluded.
