Re-Broadcasting of programmes of the BBC World Service through the Sri Lanka broadcasting Corporation will recommence on the 1st of next month. Local listeners will be accorded the opportunity to listen to this channel in all three languages. An agreement in this regard was signed at the Corporation premises today. Former Chairman of the SLBC Hudson Samarasinghe and the Head of the Business and Development Affairs of the Asia Pacific region of the BBC World Service Michelle Lobel have signed the agreement on behalf of the two institutions. The English Programme of the BBC World Service will be broadcast for a period of three and a half hours. The Sinhala and Tamil Programmes will be broadcast for a period of 30 minutes each. Former Chairman of the Corporation Hudson Samarasinghe said it was impelled to suspend the BBC World Service programme during the period the humanitarian operations were conducted, taking into consideration the broadcasting of information harmful to national security. The reason being national radio a media institution always appearing on behalf of the national security. Minister Samarasinghe added opportunities have been provided to recommence broadcasting of BC programmes through the National Radio, after the mutual consensus between the two parties. Discussions were conducted up o cabinet level in arriving at this decision. The former Chairman further said that the doors of the National Radio has been opened to allow the free flow of balanced news, establishing the impartiality of the State Radio. The BBC World Service Representative Michelle Lobel said it is pleasing to note re-strengthening of the longstanding relations between the SLBC and the BBC. He further said the BBC has been accorded the opportunity to address a majority of listeners through he national radio. Prof.Sunanda Mahendra who presented the “Sandeshaya” Sinhala Service programme of the BBC said the practice of selecting announcers through a test should be appreciated.
(Source : SLBC)
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