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10th AGM of SLPI after a year of challenges – Report
View(s):The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) held its 10th Annual General Meeting on July 15 at its office at 96, Kirula Road, Colombo 5, attended by representatives of its stakeholders comprising the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association.
Kumar Nadesan, SLPI chairman addressing the AGM
Presenting the annual report of the institution, Kumar Lopez, Director of SLPI’s Media Resource Centre, noted that 2013 had been a year of challenges. He reported that the SLPI had conducted several meetings with local and international bodies to promote professionalism in journalism. He also mentioned that representatives of the British, American, Canadian, Norwegian, Australian, Indian and German embassies had visited SLPI on several occasions. Another important visitor, prior to the Commonwealth Conference, had been Richard Uku, the spokesman for the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Several projects had also been implemented in association with UNESCO, USAID and WAN-IFRA (World Association of Newspapers). Mr. Lopez further said that logistical assistance had been given to The Editors’ Guild to organise and hold the annual ‘ Excellence in Journalism’
The SLPI annual general meeting in progress
awards, a news release said.
He reported that the SLPI had also had discussions with advertising houses to seek information on ethics in advertising. Preliminary discussions had also been held with the British National Training Centre for Journalism on offering distance training to local journalists towards a British Certificate Course. Ongoing projects were a publication on the Right to Information and another on Media Law. Besides these, several workshops had been held towards enhancing journalists’ education and reporting skills on science, environment, media ethics, new media and info-graphics.
Mr. Lopez also reported that the Kirula Road premises now boasted of a fully equipped auditorium with recording and multimedia capabilities which had already been hired for meetings, presentations and lectures by several professional institutions, adding to its income generation.
Directors of the Sri Lanka Press Institute are Chairman Kumar Nadesan of the Newspaper Society, Deputy Chairman Sinha Ratnatunga of the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, Manik de Silva and Mohanlal Piyadasa of the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, Hana Ibrahim, Sunil Jayasekera and Udaya Kalupathirana of the Free Media Movement, Lasantha Ruhunage and Kanchana Marasinghe of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association.
Ernst & Young was once again reappointed as the designated independent auditor of the SLPI.