The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) will be converted into a public company, Minister Bandula Gunawardena announced.

According to a Parliament statement, it was disclosed at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Mass Media that the SLRC and the SLBC were continuing to incur losses.

The details were revealed when the said Ministerial Consultative Committee on Mass Media met in Parliament last week (Nov 23) under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Transport and Highways and Minister of Mass Media Bandula Gunawardena.

Presenting statistics from 2015, Minister Gunawardena pointed out how these two channels have made losses, adding that the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation has made a loss of 277 million rupees in the year 2023 and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation has made a loss of 457 million rupees in the year 2023.

Pointing out that it is difficult for the Treasury to provide funds for these channels, he stated that there are plans to convert the SLRC and the SLBC into a public company. Accordingly, the Committee Chair further commented that the Cabinet Ministers have decided to appoint a committee to take further action in this regard.

The committee was also informed that the state media does not provide enough publicity for the various development projects implemented by the government.

Minister Gunawardena emphasized that public media should broadcast the inconveniences of the public who are affected by various dilapidated buildings, roads, bridges etc. as well as inform the public about the facilities that have been provided to the public following the development.

He further instructed the Sri Lanka Press Council to prepare a report on the measures that can be taken to regulate the propaganda activities carried out by the media in a way that harms the social culture and personal health and submit it to the Committee.

State Ministers Shantha Bandara, Janaka Wakkumbura, Members of Parliament Velu Kumar, Prof. Charitha Herath, D. B. Herath, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Gunathilaka Rajapaksha, and Sudath Manjula, were present at the Committee meeting.