Cabinet Spokesperson, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, today announced that Cabinet approval has been granted to amend the Sri Lanka Press Council Act No. 5 of 1973.
Minister Jayatissa said the current Press Council Act has not been updated to reflect contemporary social and cultural trends.
He noted that, beyond traditional print and radio, the rapid expansion of the internet and social media has significantly impacted public life, necessitating a revision of the Act to align with these shifts.
Minister Nalinda Jataissa made the announcement while addressing the post-Cabinet media briefing held today.
Responding to questions from journalists, he said the Sri Lanka Press Council Act was nearly 50 years old and requires amendments.
Clarifying that the Act was not being introduced to control the media, he said it has been formulated based on requests from the public and media institutions.
Minister Nalinda Jayatissa also clarified that the amended Sri Lanka Press Council Act is different from the Online Safety Act.
He explained that through the amended Sri Lanka Press Council Act, the Press Council will deliberate on a factually incorrect news article and will discuss it with the relevant media institutions.
He said thereafter, a decision will be taken on whether the article needs to be corrected, and if a correction is due, it should be made not only in the relevant newspaper, but also on their social media or online platforms. (Newswire)