The Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Hudson Samarasinghe has taken exception to the recently aired two misleading reports in the BBC Tamil Osai radio program.
He said those reports were aired at the end of last month and were distorted versions aired to mislead.
In a letter send to Mr.Neil Curry, Head of the BBC in London, Mr.Samarasinghe quoted the following two news reports which were aired by the Tamil Osai - a Tamil language program of the BBC, in two different occasions.
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. He pointed out that the said Journalist has failed to check with the Government of Sri Lanka for the authenticity of the claims of the said LTTE spokesman.
Furthermore, two days ago the BBC journalist on the Tamil Osai program 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 news version.
Mr.Samarasinghe drew the attention of the BBC management on those news reports and requested to refrain from broadcasting those types of misleading information through the government owned radio network – Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, which is used by the BBC to broadcast their daily programs 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 a high journalistic standards, which the BBC has maintained over many decades.
He said those reports were aired at the end of last month and were distorted versions aired to mislead.
In a letter send to Mr.Neil Curry, Head of the BBC in London, Mr.Samarasinghe quoted the following two news reports which were aired by the Tamil Osai - a Tamil language program of the BBC, in two different occasions.
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. He pointed out that the said Journalist has failed to check with the Government of Sri Lanka for the authenticity of the claims of the said LTTE spokesman.
Furthermore, two days ago the BBC journalist on the Tamil Osai program 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 news version.
Mr.Samarasinghe drew the attention of the BBC management on those news reports and requested to refrain from broadcasting those types of misleading information through the government owned radio network – Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, which is used by the BBC to broadcast their daily programs 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 a high journalistic standards, which the BBC has maintained over many decades.
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