The scholarly dialogue regarding the establishment of the proposed “Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka,” aimed at introducing and maintaining professional standards for media practitioners, was held on June 16, 2026, at the auditorium of the Sri Lanka Press Institute.
The panel of experts for this event comprised Professor of Communication Madhubhashini Hewage from the Open University of Sri Lanka; Ranga Bandaranayake, President of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association; Attorney-at-Law K.W. Janaranjana, representing the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka as its former secretary; and Indira Priyadarshani Navagamuwa, President of the Federation of Media Trade Unions. Journalist Chamara Sampath moderated the program.
During the discussion, the panel emphasized that while elevating the professional standards of journalists is a timely necessity, it must be carried out independently.
A large number of media institution heads, representatives of media organizations, professional journalists, and civil society representatives attended the event.
