The Free Media Movement (FMM) said over the weekend that a Initial agreement had  been reached for a code of ethics for digital journalism together with a programme to bring together digital journalists.

A set of principles for digital media professionals and a code of ethics for digital journalists are expected to be published in the next few days, the FMM said. These principles were formulated collectively through a broader participatory process based on the Memorandum of Understanding, it added.

A statement issued by the FMM said that a workshop on Digital Journalists' Rights and Digital Media Advocacy was held in Colombo on December 15, 2021. By the end of the workshop, the process of organizing a professional forum for digital journalists and drafting a preliminary agreement on a ‘Code of Ethics’ for professional excellence in digital journalism was undertaken.

A committee chaired by Sukumar Rockwood, CEO of the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka, oversaw the drafting of a preliminary agreement for a new code of ethics following an extensive study of international conventions on digital media ethics and local practices. 

The other members of the committee were journalist and media trainer Ananda Jayasekara, Complaints Officer of the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka Kamal Liyanarachchi, Members of the Executive Committee of the Free Media Movement Chandrasiri Dodawatte, Seetha Ranjanee and the Trustee of the Free Media Movement journalist Luxman Gunasekera.

At this time, officials were appointed temporarily to form a professional collective of digital journalists. Manjula Samarasekara was elected as the convener while Keshani Edmund and K. M. Rasool were elected as Joint Secretaries.

Yoshitha Perera, Sandun Arosha Fernando, Rizwan Segu Mohideen, Yasara Chathurangi, Chathuranga M. Pradeep Kumara, Dinesh de Alwis, L.A. Thevathiran, Thangavel Saranya and Camilla Begum were elected to the Working Committee.