📰 Media Bodies Reject Proposed CIMP Bill, Demand Withdrawal

The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) and leading media coalitions have formally requested the Government to withdraw the proposed Chartered Institute of Media Professionals (CIMP) Bill, advocating instead for industry-led consultation and self-regulation. • Key Concerns: Government-Led Structure: Unlike established bodies like the Institute of Engineers or Sri Lanka Institute of Architects—which were created by professionals before parliamentary incorporation—the CIMP is a State-initiated framework. Threat to Independence: Media organisations view the proposed statutory body under ministerial oversight as a State-managed regulatory mechanism that undermines press freedom and autonomy. • Proposed Alternatives: Self-Regulation: Reaffirmed that professional media standards must remain independent of State control through self-regulatory or co-regulatory mechanisms. Sri Lanka Media Commission (SLMC): Highlighted as a viable co-regulatory framework to promote professional standards. Leveraging Existing Institutions: Urged support for the Sri Lanka College of Journalism—which has trained journalists for over two decades—to enhance professional capacity rather than establishing a new statutory body.