Tuesday 10 August 2010

BBC Sinhala Service under attack by former allies

Could it be funds running dry in the former LTTE coffers or the fact that the UK Foreign Office (which funds the BBC Sinhala Service) is threatening to cut down its funding affecting the said service, that less and less biased/anti Sri Lanka and more and more balanced articles are beginning to appear in the BBC Sinhala website?

Examples: Article 1 - Article 2 - Article 3

In the bad old days when the LTTE treasury was overflowing with ill-gotten dollars/pounds, we never saw Tamilnut accusing the BBC of being “mischievous” in its reporting or “exaggerated” in its sayings nor “vicious” in its projection of views. Was it because, in those days we never saw the BBC calling a spade a “spade” or following fundamental principles of good journalism when reporting Sri Lankan affairs.

But now the LTTE gravy fountains are drying up and the credit-crunch-hit UK government is cutting its public spending like there’s no tomorrow, individuals at the BBC Sinhala Service may have realised it prudent to be professional in their journalism in order to try and protect their jobs – for no doubt they must be a talented team of journalists if they put their minds to it and stop getting lured in to mischief when certain temptations are present.

From one journo to another, EFT wish them well. Keep improving. . . .

3 comments:

Mango said...

Temptations?

What kind of temptations were these hacks being offered?

Animal, mineral or vegetable? :)

I'm reminded of Humbert Wolfe's famous epigram about British journalists which is applicable to these hacks.

"You cannot hope
to bribe or twist,
thank God! The
Lankan journalist.

But, seeing what
the man will do
unbribed, there's
no occasion to."
:) :)

Mango said...

Temptations?

What kind of temptations were these hacks being offered?

Animal, mineral or vegetable? :)

I'm reminded of Humbert Wolfe's famous epigram about British journalists which is applicable to these hacks.

"You cannot hope
to bribe or twist,
thank God! The
Lankan journalist.

But, seeing what
the man will do
unbribed, there's
no occasion to."
:) :)

Sujeewa Kokawala said...

Few more facts may have affected.

1. Coming of Tories [not that they matter much, but they're fraction better than out-and-out kinda neo-liberals]

2. End of mili[tary]band.

3. Some diaspora starting to see the light.

4. KP factor, whereas KP seems nothing but an allie of Rajapakses AT THIS MOMENT with his own NGO which SEEMS TO support the development of N/E. [Do not miss capitals]

Nevertheless it is Peralunu pita hondayi kiyanava. Many separatists who supported pussycats have started criticising the same, and looking for other avenues for separatism. It is a time that we need to separate two ideologies, separatism and pussycats, and even support latter [within civil life essentials] to defeat prior.