Applied Communication

i. Press Release

News is information based on special events that have gained public attention as well as society as a whole, whether they are important locally or overseas. News means new information. That is, a news story is new. A person, an organization, an organization, or a government issues news releases to officially give their information to the media. This is a reliable way to provide timely information, events, special occasions, crises etc. Media announcements can be seen as a formal method of providing information to the media. A written document that is prepared with news value. Prepares news releases containing relevant information. News releases are used to enhance the good image of an organization. Issues press releases to provide factual information to the public. The media uses it as a source to make information available to the public.

It appears that government agencies regularly issue press releases to inform government rules, regulations, regulations, restrictions, travel restrictions, political information, foreign information, information related to various foreign agreements, business information, health information, corona daily reports. Presidential Media Division, Prime Minister's Media Division, Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Foreign Embassies Various business companies use press releases to inform their news. When preparing press releases, it should be arranged in a more organized and clear manner. The information contained therein must be properly filed. Therefore, it is possible to provide information to the media more easily and to inform the public about the issues that need to be addressed.

Here are some of the qualities that must be present in the preparation of a press release.

1. Clarity

2. Accuracy

3. Excellence

 4. Appropriateness

5. Language accuracy

6. Clear &. Varied style

A press release is a formal statement. It must be responsible in providing information to the media. Therefore, the relevant information should be filed accurately and the true information should be submitted. Here are some things to look for when selecting yours. A press release should have the letterhead, official seals and logos of the relevant institution Also, the announcement number, time and date of issue of the press release should be mentioned. The relevant institution issues press releases with the signature of the Media Director or a senior official. Without it, the media will not publish announcements. This makes it clear that responsible information must be provided when providing information to the media. Not every news release received by the media is advertised by the media and press releases are issued regarding its importance.

Simple language should be used when writing a press release. A common and simple language has to be used as it has to be adapted to suit all media. The announcement must have a suitable title. It provides an insight into the relevant news at once. Also, there should be no grammatical errors, punctuation errors, or statistical errors.

Not all information can be included in a news release at once. The first chapter has to be presented in a very concise manner. The news is sorted using a pyramid scheme according to the value of the news. Where W5 H1 methods can be followed. Concepts such as What, Who, Where, when, Why, How can be used. Relevant news increases value.

The information presented in the first chapter of the second chapter is presented in more detail. Chapter 3 deals with the entry of less valuable information. A news release should be at least one-page long. There is a standard. Search should not exceed 2 pages. 500 - 800 words should be used in preparing an announcement.

Organizational information can be provided to the media more clearly and reliably by issuing an organized and accurate news release, including only the essential information. press releases are issued to the media by fax, email, website or any other means. Related photos, videos and other information can be released with a press release.

 

 

 

ii. Media Spokesperson

A Media Spokesperson is someone who is officially appointed to provide information to the media in an organization. The appointee should be a responsible person who knows best when informing the corporate information media. The image of the institution depends on him. Therefore, action will be taken to appoint an expert. Media Spokesperson also provides information to a large number of people across the globe through the media. The media publisher must be a good speaker. Journalists have to be prudent not only in informing corporate information but also in dealing with them. They must be able to take responsibility and act even in difficult situations.

The role of the Media Spokesperson is extremely important. Must be able to express ideas fluently, must have good observation ability, must be able to comment logically, must have good memory ability, must have leadership qualities, must have creative imagination ability, must be tactful in occasion. When making statements to the media, a good study should be done and statements should be made. If the word is incorrect it cannot be reset. Therefore, we need to think more carefully about what is being said. There should be a better understanding of the subscriber community and journalists. The situation should be manageable by communicating on occasion. No matter how impulsive the journalist may be, the guy should not be impulsive. Must speak with great restraint. Individual attributes must be present in the Media Spokesperson.

Maintain a good relationship with the Media Spokesperson and the top executives of their organization. As a person who informs the top decisions of the organization, you should maintain a good relationship with the management department. He must be a party loyalist.

In many organizations, the media spokesperson is the CEO, media officer, public relations officer, media director or official media spokesperson of the organization. Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Mass Media and Information is the Cabinet Spokesman for Sri Lanka. Ajith Rohana is the Police Media Spokesman. Brigadier Chandana Wickramasinghe is the Military Spokesman.  These people have been appointed to make responsible statements to the media in this manner. Keheliya Rambukwella, the official media spokesman, briefed the media on the Cabinet briefing. A press conference is convened and statements are made to the media. A police spokesman releases all information about the police to the media. You can identify how to express yourself to the media with great restraint without being impulsive.

 

iii. Press conferences

Press conferences are held to inform the media in detail. During press conferences, you have to provide information face to face with the journalists. You have to face the media with good preparation. Failure to do so may affect the image of the individual or organization. Cabinet briefings, Ministry of Health press briefings, Cricket Board press briefings, Government and Opposition press briefings, trade union press briefings, University students' press briefings, local and foreign business press briefings, etc. are regularly broadcast by the media. Does. If the information provided is of news value, it will be published in the media. This is a task that needs to be done in a more planned way.

In a press conference, information is exchanged with the media for a specific topic. This is done in the form of a discussion with the informing institution or person or organization or the media. In a press conference, it is possible to provide information in a controlled manner only in a controlled manner. Journalists should be invited to organize a press conference. Press conferences are held at specific locations and at specific times, during which journalists have the opportunity to discuss their issues. Journalists pass on that information to the public through the media. The most accurate way to do this is to hold a press conference. Maintain a good relationship with journalists.

There is a definite purpose to holding a press conference. It is proposed to hold a press conference based on it. A date, time and place should be set aside for a discussion. Invitations should be sent to journalists to assess their attendance. Only invited media and journalists will have the opportunity to participate in a press conference.

Prepared by the media officer or public relations officer in the organization. Information is released to the media by an executive, a media spokesperson, a cabinet spokesman, a media officer, a public relations officer, detainees, etc. who can provide responsible information about the organization. Those statements must be made responsibly. Information should be provided in a way that protects corporate and personal images. Relevant journalists should be given an opportunity to ask questions during a press conference.

During a press conference, relevant information files are given to the journalists. Provides media kits or videos, photos, reports, articles, magazines, books, survey reports, leaflets, etc. related to the press conference.

Action should be taken to provide the agenda of the press conference to the journalists attending the press conference. There should be a welcome window, start on time and finish on time. Journalists should be entertained after months of discussion. Media talks help maintain a better media relationship.

iv. News agencies

News agencies are agencies that provide information to the media. Newspaper agencies operate nationally and internationally. Information is the most valuable resource. Newspaper agencies work to sell information. Global news agencies sell news all over the world. It has become a separate commercial industrial industry.

International news agencies include the French News Agency, Reuters and the Associated Press. The world's leading television channels are also BBC, Al jazeera and CNN. The latest information is being collected, not worldwide. Sold for newspapers, magazines, TV channels, radio channels.

Sri Lankan media outlets also obtain foreign information from international newspapers The Government Information Department acts to inform the news of the Government of Sri Lanka. Lanka News also operates as a news agency.

Providing information to the media is a responsible task. News agencies act as a source of information for media outlets. It sells information to the media, including current affairs, sports information, war information, political information, ethnic conflicts and conflicts. Every media outlet works closely with news organizations. They pay for them and buy news.

Global information is handled by global news organizations. They provide information to different countries in the way they want. The American and Western countries have built up information dominance through their newspaper agencies. Paba Paba uses information to influence countries. Man has a constant desire to know information and therefore needs to provide information through constant media. Newspapers provide information to media outlets.

 

 

 

 

02.

Human is an information animal. They are constantly focused on the environment in which they live and gather information. Man uses the media to obtain information. The media reports periodic events as news. The rarity of something in common is the main reason it makes news. There is an information market today. Therefore, news is also highly valued. Every media channel tries to cover the news as soon as possible. News has become a commodity. News reports cover a wide range of social, political, economic, technological, and military information. Newspapers, television and radio, as well as new media today, provide news. Man is more interested in the news.

"Current events that make people interested are news" Poll D. Maseniar

"It's not news when a dog bites a man, it's news when a man bites a dog" Charles Andresen Dana

"All the exciting news is news" Milton Brash

Flying an airplane is not news but crashing is news. Clearly, the vulnerability of the commonwealth is news. It is also believed that the word News is derived from the words North, South, West and East.

News consists of two main parts:

1.      Hard News is hard news that contains information that can affect a large number of people nationally and internationally. The corona epidemic, the corona vaccine, the rise in crude oil prices, the global war is news that affect the whole world.

 

2.       Soft news is news that does not have a strong social impact but attracts the attention of most people and addresses human emotions. A young man picks up his wife during a flood and travels a long distance to a hospital, climbing trees and attending online classes.

There are several key factors that affect the value of a news item. Timeliness, relevance, intimacy, human affection, prominence, conflict, mediocrity, etc. Professional news gets more value.

Timeliness - A key factor in the value of a news story is that it must be relevant to the time. People are more interested in knowing the news that is important from time to time. Ranil Wickremesinghe's return to Parliament, farmers' protests due to lack of fertilizer, Basil Rajapaksa's return to Sri Lanka and Duminda Silva's release from prison have become current news. As time goes on, the attention and value of the news diminishes. Ex pear shipwreck is not discussed now

Intimacy - The more intimate a news item is to the recipient, the greater its value. People who know the culture of the country where you live, when your present information about the area, then you become interested in it. Today's report on Sri Lankan cricket matches being defeated by Suriyaan FM News, the Tamil radio station of Hiru Channel, has caused a great deal of concern among many.

Relevance - Social, economic and political information should be relevant to the people. Then pay more attention to it. A good example is the opposition to the news of the rise in oil prices in the Weerakesari and Thinukural newspapers.

Highlights - Interesting information about the most popular people in the society, institutions, politicians, political parties, actors, cricketers, singers etc. Shakthi TV shows Sri Lankan cricketers strolling the streets of England on news broadcasts

Conflict - A conflict that arises between opposing views. People are curious about wars, political debates, struggles, attacks, racist conflicts, etc. Wasantham TV news broadcasts focused on the Easter bombing and racist clashes.

Human affection - News that evokes emotions such as traumatic events, emotional scenes, love, sadness, hatred and anger. The news of the fire in the attic of a student attending an online class was heartbreaking.

Abnormality - Incredible events turn into extraordinary news. Mysterious planes, new animal discoveries, etc. make a lot of headlines.

It can be stated that in order for a news item to have more value, it must have the following attributes.

1.Accuracy

2. Balance

3.  Clarity

4. Reliability

A   +     B +      C = C

Accuracy + Balance + Clarity = Reliability      ( Poll D. Maseniar - UNESCO)

Accuracy - News is not an ordinary event but an extraordinary event. When presenting a news story, it must be a true statement. It should be published stating the sources correctly. All the person and place names, events, statistics contained in the news should be more accurate. Its authenticity must be weighed before it can be declared. For example, news sources include corporate reports, survey reports, press releases, and Twitter messages.

Balance - The balance that should be maintained in a news story is paramount. In presenting a news story, the communicator should refrain from reporting information in a way that is biased and advantageous, as per the agenda of the media institution. The truth must be clearly stated. It adds more value to the news. People accept them. Extremely biased news channels are rejected by some because they do not present the news in a balanced way.

Clarity - Clarity in a news item is one of the main factors influencing the value of a news item. Information must be properly filed and submitted. Models such as the W5 H1 can be used to present information. The information should be presented simply in a language that the recipient can understand. Grammatical errors, punctuation errors should be minimized. The receiver must be able to comprehend the heavy news without getting tired.

Credibility - Confidence comes from the accuracy, balance and clarity of a news story. If there is any mistrust about the news, people will not accept it. So all these elements must be interconnected. For a news story to have more value, credibility must exist. Then it is accepted.

News is information that is of timely importance. Not only newspapers, radio and television but also new media have come to the fore in the field of news reporting. For news to be of great value, it must be factual. When reporting news, care must be taken to increase the value of the news.

 

 

 

 

 

04.

i.

People in countries that value democracy and equality are given the opportunity to express and express their views. The person can only extend their finger to the tip of another person's nose. This shows that although there are thousands of people to express their views, there are limited opportunities. Citizens of Sri Lanka have the right to freedom of speech. The Constitution has been adopted and published by the Constitution

Sri Lanka is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Therefore, Sri Lanka is bound to follow the decisions of the United Nations. At the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948, the right to freedom of expression was recognized as a human right. Accordingly, the United Nations Human Rights Council also advocates for the free speech rights of citizens of its member countries around the world.

Another criterion is the right to freedom of expression in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, presented by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The situation after World War II was the basis for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Individual freedoms were restricted due to the strict control of the media and the people by the ruling governments. Individuals were therefore given the right to free expression. It also enabled the media to report free information.

It was presented as a universal convention for the freedom, equality, dignity and trust of the citizens of all member countries. The United Nations Human Rights Council is taking action against countries that do not recognize this and those that violate it. It explains that the right to freedom of expression is a human right.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; to express their views without hindrance, and to seek, obtain and share information and ideas through any media, regardless of boundaries."

This has been recognized by the United Nations Human Rights Council as a fundamental human right, regardless of political, ethnic, national or religious barriers. It also states that human beings have the right to express and exchange information using any electronic medium.

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka 1978, Chapter (iii) to Article 10 to Article 14 of the Constitution sets out basic human rights. It includes information on free copyright. This shows that the right to freedom of expression has been adopted in accordance with the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

14 (i) a. Every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression;

In this way, it is possible to identify the right to freedom of expression as a fundamental human right enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka. But there are instances where the country's laws, media ethics system and the right to freedom of expression are restricted.

In the Constitution. Restrictions have been made in accordance with Articles 15 (1) and 15 (2). In this way, the right to freedom of expression is restricted in order to protect moral boundaries and the existing laws of the country.

Article 15 (i) of Article 13 (5), (6) of Article 13 states that the fundamental right to freedom of expression may be enjoyed or exercised subject to restrictions that may be imposed to ensure national security. Law also includes the rules and regulations that apply to public security for the time being. This period includes the rules imposed during the epidemic. The media can also enforce the law against those who publish false information about corona.

Article 15 (7) of Article 12, Article 13 (1), (2) of Article 14 and Article 14 of the Constitution recognizes that the fundamental rights that can be enjoyed and enforced are those that ensure the security and well-being of the country, public health or morals And by acknowledging and respecting the rights and freedoms of others. In this way we have the right to express our views subject to the rules and regulations prescribed by law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ii.

The Press Council of Sri Lanka can be described as the media regulatory body established to protect the newspaper rights of the newspaper and to maintain a responsible media art. Works for the protection and development of press institutions and journalists for the betterment of the press. It can be described as an institution that protects the freedom and rights of journalists. The Press Council of Sri Lanka has the power to take legal action in any issue arising in connection with the press. The Press Council of Sri Lanka is a State Institution established by Act No. 5 of 1973.

The Press Council can be described as an institution that implements media regulation. Here are four key pointers in moving the world around. That is, self-regulation, and regulatory, statutory regulation as internal regulation. The Press Council of Sri Lanka is a regulatory body. That is, a document established by a card, maintained by a government sponsor. Therefore, Mathews cannot ignore the decisions and recommendations given by this institution. Every organization works to bring together media experts and develop media guidelines and ethics systems.

As this is being brought under the Sri Lanka Press Council Act No. 05 of 1973, certain functions have been specifically assigned. The Army is tasked with protecting press freedom, defending newspaper ethics, protecting readers' rights, and enhancing the professionalism of newspapers.

The Press Council introduced a Code of Ethics for Journalists in a Gazette in 1981. The Press Council has full powers to investigate public complaints against violators of ethics. This work is being carried out by the staff including the Commissioner of the Press Council. The Commissioner is the head of the Press Council. The Chairman and the Board of Directors are appointed by the President. Officially appoints directors general of news. It has been more than forty years since the establishment of the Press Council. This can be pointed out as an institution that plays a major role in the betterment of the newspaper by working loyally and independently. According to the Press Council Act, all those powers have been devolved. Since this Act is a law passed by a majority of Parliament, there is a set of rules and regulations that can be enforced with the powers of a District Court.

Every newspaper company must be registered with the Press Council annually. The Press Complaints Commission and the Sri Lanka College of Journalism have been established under the Press Council. Their cars are also supported by the Press Council. The Press Council also conducts school workshops, teacher training workshops, lectures for university students, training journalists and engaging in current media research. It also contributes to the nurturing of the skills of media professionals by implementing diploma courses in journalism.

1981 Introduces a code of ethics to prevent misuse of the press. The Code of Ethics was compiled by a panel of twenty - five editors-in-chief of the newspapers at the time. It was also published in a gazette. The media outlets set out accepted guidelines for reporting information and take action against violators.

1. Action should be taken to protect the authenticity of the information.

 2. False and false information cannot be published.

 3. Deliberate omissions and distortions are not possible

4. It should be done as soon as possible to correct any information error.

5. Nothing should be published that harms the public interest and morals.

6. Failure to disclose the names of those who have been sexually assaulted.

7. Failure to disclose the name of an offender under the age of 18 if he has not been charged and has not previously committed an offense.

8. Failure to disclose kinship from the perpetrators. Etc. A number of matters belong to this ethic.

So far, legal action has been taken against media institutions and journalists, but no journalist has been imprisoned in any way. This shows that the institution operates in a fair manner in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

05.

As a socially responsible person, I have also developed media ethics to maintain art. Ethics applicable to media professionals involved in media reporting. There is an ethic to engage in responsible media reporting. Media ethics must be adhered to by journalists. They state how the media should report. The law can be enforced in cases where media ethics are violated. The ethics of media ethics are seen as accuracy, privacy, non-disclosure of sources, and the right to answer. As there is a legal responsibility, action must be taken to maintain media ethics.

Professional journalists are people who engage in media reporting as their job. Media announcers, cameramen, photographers, reporters (staff journalists, local journalists, freelance journalists) should all adhere to media ethics. Professionalism is protected by the protection of media ethics.

With the spread of the corona epidemic, journalists have been instrumental in disseminating not only social, economic and political conditions, but also health information related to the corona virus. The media is also used for social control. The role of the media is to socialize information about corona responsibly.

The existence of a corona virus condition is a major crisis. At a time like this, news reporting on corona should be done in a very responsible manner. According to Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the right to freedom of expression is enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka, but in the face of the current crisis, media coverage is required. Despite media freedom, the media must act responsibly and ethically while protecting ethics.

Maintaining authenticity, accuracy, balance and clarity is extremely important when reporting corona information. For that, journalists should use factual sources. Investigation reports issued by the Ministry of Health, Press Releases issued by the Presidential Media Unit, Press Releases by Official Media Spokespersons should be used. Society should not be misled by misinformation. Such instances were seen during this period. Daily corona infections or Daily corona death statistics were misrepresented. There have been instances where the society has been engaged in reporting on the kind of news I send and how people are intimidated.

 

There are ethics that journalists should follow during the corona period. Care should be taken not to reveal the names of relatives of the sick persons. But there are times when information about patients is reported by the media in that way. There have also been instances where visuals of deceased patients have been shown by the media.

The manner in which corona corpses are dumped in rivers and mass cremated in India is causing people to panic. These ethics must also be observed when reporting local or foreign corona information.

Media reporting should be done in a way that protects the privacy and identity of patients. Statements such as quoting patients' experiences should not be taken into account when reporting information related to quarantine centers. Photos and videos of young children should not be displayed. Conflicts over corona vaccination, problems with the police, problems with health officials should not be overstated. Journalists must maintain self-regulation.

During the corona epidemic, journalists must exercise self-censorship. It is the responsibility of the media professional to protect the identity of individuals, to disseminate information, and not to mislead society.

 

Sameera Herath

BA (sp) Hons. Public Relation & Media Management , University of kelaniya

smcherath95@gmail.com

mylecturer.lk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

07.  

A country is run by the people's tax money. The rulers of the country are also elected by the people. A citizen of a country has the right to know about public administration information if all the structures in the country have public participation. But many states do not provide information to the public in that way. There is no room for people to interfere in public administration. The media also does not have the disclosure to know the inside information of the institutions. But only if it has been passed by an Act as a fundamental right. The public has a right to know government or any other information.

Government Taxes, Annual Budget, Diplomatic Agreements, Trade Agreements, Foreign Policy, Government Development Project Information, Statistics and Data, Survey Reports, Medical Reports, Photographs and Videos, Computer Files, Exam Results Reports, Email Etc. People have the right to know various content information. This right is established in Sri Lanka. But in most countries this does not work. Democracy recognizes the right to information in countries with political structures.

The Information Act establishes factors such as increasing public engagement in policy making, increasing public participation, conducting public affairs in a transparent manner, acting responsibly, abusing financial mismanagement, actions that are detrimental to the country and the people, ensuring public safety, and combating corruption.

Sweden was the first country in the world to pass information laws in 1766. The Right to Information was also adopted at the 1946 United Nations General Assembly. The Information Act was also passed by the United States in 1966. The European Commission has granted the right to information to its member countries by making it green for them to obtain information. In this way, different countries have developed information laws, rules and structures. A Freedom of Information Act has been established in Sri Lanka in recent times.

The Freedom of Information Act No. 12 of 2016 was established in Sri Lanka. It will be operational in Sri Lanka from February 2, 2017. The Freedom of Information Commission was established to ensure the public's right to information as well as to investigate complaints. An information officer was parked in every government institution within the state machinery It was also practiced to provide information more efficiently to the inquiring parties. Today, the right to information is established in Sri Lanka. Government agencies are required to provide information in accordance with certain laws and regulations of the country.

Inquiries into the process of obtaining information from a government agency are guidelines for requesting information from a government agency in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act No. 12 of 2016. The right to information on local authorities, universities, courts, schools, hospitals, state banks, police records, etc. is standard.

Information windows have been set up in government institutions. An information officer has also been appointed. Go to the institution and meet the relevant information officer.

The Information Officer submits him to the Head of the Institution. It is a criterion to provide information after the recommendation of the head of the institution. If the head of the institution does not like it, the information will not be received. Other methods must be followed to make that request. The agency is obliged to provide the information within a period of about fourteen days after requesting the information. You will have to pay for the copies that provide the information.

Copies of relevant information are available in the form of audio-visual videos, photographs, computer documents and photocopies. A fee should be paid for obtaining the relevant copies. In this way, if the people are able to get the information they want, it can be considered as a democratic right. But there is not much knowledge about the effectiveness of the Public Information Act. It can be described as a shortcoming.

 

 Sameera Herath

BA (sp) Hons. Public Relation & Media Management , University of kelaniya

smcherath95@gmail.com

mylecturer.lk