The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) was established in 1967 under the name Radio Ceylon. The history of the broadcaster dates back to 1925, when the station’s predecessor, Colombo Radio, was established.
Media assets
Radio: Thesiya FM, City FM, SLBC National Service, SLBC Commercial Service, Radio Sri Lanka, Vidula, Yal FM, Rajarata, Ruhuna, Uva, Wayamba, Kandurata, Thendral, Pirei, Sports Service
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
SLBC has been operating as a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Mass Media since 1972. As a state corporation, the board of directors of the SLBC is appointed by the government, with the minister responsible for appointing the chairman of the broadcaster. In June 2021, Hudson Samarasinghe, a former Member of Parliament, was appointed as the Chairman of the SLBC.
In November 2023, government officials said that the state plans to merge SLRC with SLBC, a move prompted by the losses that the two companies have incurred for nearly a decade. The merger was approved by the government in February 2024. Further details regarding the newly emerging company will be announced in due course.
Source of funding and budget
SLBC generates revenue from commercial sources and receives a state subsidy, which is considerably higher than that provided to other state media outlets, yet below 50% of the company’s total funding. In 2020, according to an annual report, SLBC had a budget of LKR 948m (US$ 5.1m), with the state subsidy accounting for 46% of that.
In 2022, SLBC reported revenues of LKR 682m (US$1.9m) and losses of LKR 141m (US$390,000), according to the Ministry of Finance.
Editorial independence
Because the government has the power to appoint SLBC board members, it exercises full control over the station’s editorial coverage, according to local experts and journalists interviewed for this report in March 2023 and September 2024. The people appointed to these governing bodies of the SLBC are usually former government officials or people appointed by the government to head various public institutions.
No national statute or independent evaluation or oversight mechanism was identified to validate the SLBC’s editorial independence.
September 2024