Terrorist, Journalist and News Paper Reportage (A Case Study about the arrest of journalist Munnusamy Parameshwary of “Mawbima” News Paper)

Abstract

On 3rd November 2006 journalist Ms Munnusamy Parameshwary of “Mawbima” News Paper was arrested by Police Terrorist Investigation Division under PTA.(Prevention of Terrorism Act) A woman named Thambirasa Susanthi who was with Ms Parameshwary at that time also arrested. Ms Parameshwary was subsequently released after nearly 4 mounths of definition on 22th March 2007. Before joining “Mawbima” News Paper Ms Parameshwary had worked in “Eye” TV channel and in “Sigeram” “Weerakesari” News Papers. Research problem is whether the Sri Lankan News Papers gave a balanced reportage of this incident. Incidents from the arrest of Ms Parameshwary to her subsequent release re studied and secondary sources are used as research methodology. More emphases was given following areas  Competition among news papers.  Creation of exaggerated news items quoting defiance establishments as sources.  Base reportage.  Negligence of the principle that one should be treated as innocent till proven guilty.  Being a Tamil journalist .Dignity of all communities should be preserved without chauvinistic biases.  Representations and agitations made by national and international media organization.  In a prolonged war the actions taken by defense establishment to safeguard the national security should be supported by the public. But in this instance Sri Lankan news papers as a whole have not reported this incident ethically.  Action should be taken to establish the doctrines principles of Public Service Journalism in Sri Lankan Media Institutes.