Minister has authority to revoke licenses of TV channels if conditions are not met, asserts Nalinda

The licenses granted by the Ministry of Mass Media to television channels are conditional and if a channel violates these conditions at any point, the Subject Minister has the authority to revoke the license, the Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated.

An event was organized at the Health Promotion Bureau today (29) under the leadership of Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa to recognize media personnel who worked tirelessly to promote public health knowledge and disseminate health information.

Speaking at the event, the Media Minister emphasized that all licenses of television channels have been issued on a temporary basis.

Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated:

“This is not a game. When you work in this field, you are dealing with the public’s trust, the frequencies available and all related responsibilities…  You cannot report news in a way that is careless or harmful to the public. This is not something to be taken lightly. We are not ready to treat this as a joke. All television channels in our country have been granted licenses by the Ministry of Mass Media and these licenses are temporary. When granting the licenses, there are several conditions. If news is broadcast that is harmful to public health, the Minister has the power to revoke the license. Issues of national security, the national economy and public health are all included. Therefore, from now on, if anyone broadcasts distorted or harmful news about public health, we will start by sending a letter to correct it. It is mandatory to comply with the conditions set when issuing these licenses. Without this, the country cannot move forward. If public trust in health is shattered, nothing can be achieved further.”