Sunday Times 2
Rex: Beyond the sunset
View(s):Significantly, in Latin his name means king. Truly, truly, a crown of golden pens befitted Rex de Silva who was a kingly figure in Sri Lankan journalism during a crown jewel-studded career spanning more than half a century. Early last Monday, Charles Rex de Silva passed away in a Colombo hospital at the age of 74, ending an era where this charismatic and creative genius in the dynamics of journalism played an award-winning role.
Rex would be available for guidance even after midnight on his old land phone at home.
Smart and stylish, clad in jeans and Beatle boots with a variety of bangles and chains symbolising the culture of the 60s, Rex de Silva joined the Independent Newspapers Group in the 1960s and worked hard to become the Deputy Editor of the popular Sunday tabloid, the ‘Weekend’. Its then veteran editor M.F. Jaymon was a little more on the serious side while Rex – with his novel, creative and imaginative skills – focused more on entertainment, ranging from the Jetliners and Spitfires to the Savages, Gabo and the Breakaways with a pin-up girl on the cover and a range of flashy fashion models.
With dynamic flair, he also innovated or invented novel columns with well-designed logos for them. One of these columns was for heartbreak cases, teenage girls and boys. Rex did it with the well-known Noel Crusz, a former priest, and they referred to themselves as Norexa, meaning Noel and Rex. During this time Rex had the privilege of getting guidance and direction from legendary figures such as D.B. Dhanapala, the doyen of modern journalism. Mr. Dhanapala was the founder Editor-in-Chief of the Independent Newspapers Group, which eventually went on to have more than 15 publications at a four-storey landmark building on Hulftsdorp Hill with a staff of more than 600. Among others present to give guidance to Rex were great figures such as E.C.B. Wijesinghe of ‘Ralahamy’ fame and R.B. Tammitha. When Mr. Jaymon retired, Rex became the Editor of the Weekend, and he carried it to become the most popular and widely-read English language weekly in Sri Lanka.
In 1977, when the Independent Newspapers Group was reopened in March that year after being sealed by the then Government for about three years, the Lord Astor award-winning publisher Sepala Gunasena called upon Rex de Silva to be the Editor and to revive the daily Sun newspaper also.
Colleagues remember how he came back from a foreign visit on the day the Sun was to be relaunched. He arrived too late for the first edition. But he changed the whole paper, masthead and all, for the city edition, and the Sun was never the same again. Rex guided it to become the largest-selling independent English language morning daily in Sri Lanka.
A commitment to hard, honest and dedicated work and a balanced awareness of current affairs, Sri Lankan and international, are widely-accepted as being vital for good journalism. Rex had these qualities with a double degree. He worked from about 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily with a 24/7 commitment and leadership qualities that inspired most of the deputy editors, sub-editors and reporters.
After he left office, Rex would be available for guidance even after midnight on his old land phone at home. He was ready to climb every mountain, search every sea and follow every rainbow until he found his dream.
Indeed for all of us, Independent Newspapers Limited was not just a newspaper group but like a college of journalism which produced top level graduates who are today working in the field of mass communications in various parts of the world.
Rex believed and practised the fine art of pro-active and investigative journalism, not just a reactive journalism where something happens and we cover it. He practised the well-known American publisher William Randolph Hearst’s philosophy that news is something that some VIPs want suppressed or covered up – the rest is largely advertising. Week after week, Rex would work out the strategy for investigative reporters and photojournalists to dig up and expose national issues of social justice, issues where the poor, the marginalised and voiceless people had no voice. Rex believed and taught others that the principal duty of a journalist was to be the voice of the voiceless people and the means through which the sovereign people exercise their fundamental rights to the freedom of information and expression.
Another great virtue in Rex was his spirit of loyalty. He did not desire bylines – or buy lines. He did not carry a price a tag on his collar, did not seek power, prestige or cheap popularity. He believed that journalism and journalist should not be for sale. We remember one incident. During the festive season, a Colombo embassy sent a case of whiskey to be distributed among top editorial staff. With a diplomatic no-thank-you note, Rex sent the whole case of double-distilled bribes back to the embassy.
A book could be written on his 14-year, trail-blazing vision and mission as the Editor-in-Chief of the Sun and the Weekend.
Many were the dramatic and important events, but we have space only for two.
One was Budget Day 1978. In those days, Finance Minister Ronnie de Mel’s budgets were widely awaited and widely read. Around 2 a.m., the night sub-editors had completed a recast of virtually the whole paper. They were waiting to approve the machine proof, when Rex called to say “Hold the paper, we are rushing there”. He and our News Chief Iqbal Athas rushed to office with the breaking news that a plane carrying Haj pilgrims to Sri Lanka had crashed. With sophisticated efficiency they rushed reporters and photo-journalists to the scene, a new front page was made, and the Sun with an exclusive front page splash on the air disaster was out by 7 a.m.
Another event was how Rex used his creative skills to turn darkness into light. It happened like this. After the first edition was printed, there was a power blackout and we were told it would go on till morning. The generator was switched on, but only the old printing machine could be operated on it. The Sun, which was usually printed on the modern new machine had to be reduced in length by about two inches. It seemed an impossible task, and many would have given up with only one edition. But nothing was impossible for Rex. Like a true genius, he created a way out. As the tail piece on every page, he had a two inch banner saying ‘Blackout Edition’. Ultimately that banner tail piece turned out to be the selling point of the Sun that day.
These were two of the many instances where Rex promptly rallied to duty’s call.
In the era from 1977 to 1990 many were the historic and tumultuous events – the Referendum of 1982, the Black July in 1983 and the war that followed, the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987 and its consequences followed by the reign of terror from 1987 to 1990. Through it all, Rex carried the Sun and the Weekend on the hallowed principles of fair, accurate and balanced reporting and feature writing.
In 1990 the ever loyal Rex faced a professional crisis related to editorial freedom. Left with no option, he resigned and went to Brunei where, just as he revived the Sun and Weekend in Sri Lanka, he revived the daily Borneo Bulletin. During his 21 years there Rex also launched the Borneo Bulletin Sunday and the Borneo Bulletin Weekly, all of them becoming the most widely read English newspapers in the Sultanate. This week the Borneo Bulletin carried a tribute to Rex, describing him as the doyen and father figure of journalism in Brunei.
After retirement in 2011, Rex went to Seattle and New Jersey where he settled down with his wife Ranjini and his sons Nishan and Dilan. During the last four years he devoted himself mainly to art and held exhibitions. He came back to Colombo for one or two months of the year to revive golden memories when he was in the heart of journalism.
With the passing away of Rex on November 16, an era in journalism ended in a simple and humble way as it had started. The last Sun set came in glorious splendour with colours that few artists could match.It was his last wish that he should be cremated within 12 hours with only close family members and friends being informed. So was it done.
Hail and farewell Rex. By 2.30 p.m. last Monday, the smoke from the pyre at the Kanatte Cemetery was blown away. Your legend never will.
Louis Benedict