3.9.2008
Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
Chairman
of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Hudson Samarasinghe
says the BBC Tamil Osai radio programme made two biased
stories during their past programmes.
He said these programmes were aired on end of last month
and these stories reported in a not so beneficial manner
in the Tamil Osai programme.
Sending a letter to the Head of the BBC Mr.Neil Curry in
London , Mr.Samarasinghe quoted following two incidents
which were aired by the Tamil Osai programme in separate
programmes.
On Sunday 31st August the BBC journalist interviewed a spokesman
from the LTTE , who claimed that over 40 Army soldiers have
been killed by the LTTE in the Thunukkai and the Kilinochchi
areas. The journalist never obtained information or reply
from the government of Sri Lanka.
Two days ago the BBC journalist on the Tamil Osai programme
also quoted the LTTE spokesman’s report, which claimed
that some civilians have been killed in attacks by the Sri
Lanka Air force. This information was not verified from
any other sources and was aired as a one sided story.
Mr.Samarasinghe drew attention of the BBC management on
these stories and requested refrain broadcasting this type
of information through the government owned radio network
– Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation that is used
by the BBC to broadcast their daily programmes to Sri Lanka.
"We have our own prestige and credibility. These reports
damage the morale of the security forces who are now at
a critical juncture in the struggle to free Sri Lanka from
the terrorists, he said.
Mr.Samarasinghe also requested to follow high journalistic
standards, which the BBC has maintained over many decades.
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