ආර්ථික අර්බුදය පිළිබඳ මාධ්‍ය වාර්තාකරණය

Abstract

During the months of March 2022 of April 2022, several newspapers and tv news covered the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka from various angles. On power cuts: On March 30, 2022, Derana, Sirasa, Swarnavahini, Hiru and ITN reported the scheduled power cuts in the headlines of their main primetime news telecast, while Rupavahini did not include it in their headline.

Death in fuel queue: On April 10, 2022, ITN and Rupavahini did not metion about the two deaths that occurred at fuel queues, while Sirasa, Hiru, Rupavahini, and Derana reported the incidents.

Downgrading Sri Lanka in debt rating: On April 14, 2022 ITN and Rupavahini did not report that Sri Lanka was further downgraded in the debt ratings by Fitch Ratings. Derana, Sirasa, Hiru and Swarnavahini reported the news.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's speech to the new cabinet: ITN and Rupavahini did not cover on April 18, 2022 that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated while addressing the new cabinet that he regretted not seeking IMF support earlier and not providing chemical fertiliser to the farmers. Sirasa, Hiru, Derana and Swarnavahini reported on the speech.

Sri Lanka ranking as the country with the 3rd highest inflation: On April 25, 2022, while Derana, Siyatha, Hiru and Swarnavahini reported that Prof. Hanke of Johns Hopkins University ranked Sri Lanka third among the countries with highest inflation in the world, Sirasa, ITN and Rupavahini did not cover the news.

On gas price increase and request to increase electricity bills: Sirasa, Derana, Swarnavahini, Siyatha and ITN covered the gas price increase and the request to increase electricity charges in the headlines. Hiru included the increase in gas price, but did not report on the electricity charges. Rupavahini did not report either events on April 26, 2022 in the headline.