Managing Media to Prevent a Conflict, few points to focus: Media disseminate information to the public influencing public behavior. That may anger governors & cause conflicts. Hence, it is important to learn from the past & manage media resources to prevent conflicts. 

Year	Event
1920s	Radio Ceylon & Lake House were established during the British Rule.
1930s	Till independence from the British media did not play a key role in politics
1960s	Black & White TV was offered to Ceylon by the Germans & was refused but the grant strengthened the Radio Ceylon transmission capacity during Dudley Senanayake rule (UNP).
1970s	Lake House of the Wijewardena family was nationalized & Davasa & Riviresa papers were sealed by Sirima Bandaranaike rule (SLFP) due to political reasons. Colour TV was introduced by Shan Wickramasinghe to Sri Lanka. It was taken over by state due to operational reasons by J.R. Jayewardene (UNP) & named ITN Sri Lanka.
1980s	Japan donated National TV (Rupavahini). Private print media started (notably by Ranjit & Upali Wijewardena both related to Jayewardene) & tabloids such as ‘Raavaya’ introduced by Victor Ivan (Raavaya was printed at A.T. Ariyaratne’s Sarvodaya press at the outset. Political influence has said to have encouraged Sarvodaya to give up the support given to Raavaya). Jayewardene rule (UNP).
1990s	Shan Wickramasinghe started his 2nd TV channel followed by Maharaja TV. President Premadasa was criticized by the media arms of the Wijewardena family. Hence, he attacked Upali & Ranjit & shifted towards Maharaja TV. Few TV & Radio channels & print media were started with patronage from Kumaratunga rule. Many tabloids were started to attack Premadasa & same attacked Gamini Dissanayake during 1994 Presidential polls. Telecom Regulatory Commission was established.
2000s	Many TV, Radio & Print media stations were started by the Private & Public Sectors.
	Information Technology allowed individuals to voice their views through www. Smart phones were introduced.
	Mahinda Rajapaksa was criticized nationally & internationally for his acts in managing media before & after ending the 30 year war.
	Sirisena who defeated Rajapaksa in his manifesto promised ‘a meaningful substantial media freedom’ (pg 60) to rectify Rajapaksa acts; Maintenance of a free media will be ensured by stopping; direct & indirect threats & intimidation against print & electronic media, their owners & media personnel as well as abductions by white vans & killings.
	October 26th 2016: President Sirisena says a vibrant media culture & media freedom thrive in SL under this government & protecting media freedom is among its main policies (Addressing the 61st anniversary of the SL Press Association- Colombo Page).
	November 22nd 2016 at a function held at Waters Edge Colombo, President Sirisena stressed that the front pages of all Sri Lankan newspapers are the pages which destroy the country – Kushan Subasinghe (Upali News papers reported).  It was an unprecedented statement by a head of state in Sri Lanka which targeted all newspapers.
	What can we learn? How can we manage media to stay away from a Conflict?

© Dr. Samitha Hettige, November 2016