Colombo: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday said the electronic media was overly critical of his government and asked them not to misuse the freedom they have been granted under his rule.
Touting the state telecommunications regulator, Sirisena said he has observed that the electronic media devotes 80 per cent of their news bulletin to criticise his government.
"What I say is that they have the right to be critical of the government, but give sometime for coverage of government's development programmes," he said.
"The freedom we have granted needs to be exercised more reasonably," Sirisena said. The Lankan media is more free under Sirisena compared to the regime of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
During the Rajapaksa regime, Sri Lanka was classified as one of the most difficult countries to practice journalism by Reporters Sans Frontiers. Several media men were killed and some disappeared. Sirisena has revived investigations into the cases.
