Papers by Kalinga Seneviratne
The topic of this research report is an important one in the context of Asia’s rapid economic dev... more The topic of this research report is an important one in the context of Asia’s rapid economic development in recent years, and the need to rethink development policy and especially methodologies of development communications, so the mistakes of the past will not be replicated. Thus, the study is an important initiative at this period of time. The research takes as a case study the Buddhism for Development Project (BDP) implemented at Ban Bungsanthueng village in the Khammouane Province by its Buddhist Volunteer Spirit for Community network (BVSC network). The fieldwork took place at the BDP’s training centre in Vientiane and the Buddhist initiatives at Ban Bungsanthueng. The research demonstrates how the BDP and its network apply participatory approaches through interpersonal communication, such as sermon delivery, Dhamma (Buddhist teachings) talk, and daily interaction with villagers and project members.
“Objectivity is a sense of no view, I don’t think that is possible. I think a completely objectiv... more “Objectivity is a sense of no view, I don’t think that is possible. I think a completely objective story or a completely objective publication will be a boring one to read. What we try to do is, that, we have in the story, some sort of a subjective viewpoint. We have to be very careful that it roles out of the facts that are reported and not out of some pre-conceptual ideology. I think the key word is accurate and fair rather than objective”, said Urban Lehner – Publisher of the Asian Wall Street Journal during a panel discussion about reporting the regional financial crisis on CNBC Asia in October 1998. CNBC broadcast the hour-long panel discussion consisting of Asian and Western journalists in response to an article in Malaysia’s New Straits Times (NST) a few days earlier, which called for curbs on CNBC’s broadcast rights in Malaysia, after it transmitted a taped anti-Mahatir speech by Anwar Ibrahim, and also because of its biased coverage of Malaysia’s capital control measures. NST (Tan, 1998) questioned CNBC’s objectivity for reporting in a consistently critical fashion the Malaysian government’s decision to impose capital controls. They pointed out that media organisations like CNBC have a vested interest in opposing such measures to control the “free flow of capital ” because their survival depended on “going where US money flows”.
tag=1 data=Aborigines move to get slice of economic pie. by Kalinga Seneviratne tag=2 data=Senevi... more tag=1 data=Aborigines move to get slice of economic pie. by Kalinga Seneviratne tag=2 data=Seneviratne, Kalinga tag=3 data=Pacific Islands Monthly, tag=4 data=64 tag=5 data=5 tag=6 data=May 1994 tag=7 data=33-34. tag=8 data=ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES%MINES & MINERALS%PARKS tag=9 data=JAWOYN%ZAPOPAN%MT TODD%EVA VALLEY tag=10 data=In Northern Australia many Aboriginal groups have been signing up joint-venture agreements with mining companies, cattle station owners and the tourist industry, promoting economic development on their reclaimed land. tag=11 data=1994/6/5 tag=12 data=94/0332 tag=13 data=CAB tag=32 data=AH KIT, JOHN
Pacific Journalism Review : Te Koakoa, 1997
Although its mission is to be the Kanak people's voice, Radio Djiido broadcasts news and comm... more Although its mission is to be the Kanak people's voice, Radio Djiido broadcasts news and commentry in French. This use of the colonial language to further an indigenous cause might appear odd, but the reason is purely pragmatic— there are 32 different Kanak languages.
Pacific Journalism Review : Te Koakoa, 2006
This article explores and challenges the hypocrisy and misrepresentations surrounding Western med... more This article explores and challenges the hypocrisy and misrepresentations surrounding Western media reportage of the global ‘war on terror’. While the so-called Coalition of the Willing has introduced a rash of new anti-terror laws since 11 September 2001, many of the very freedoms which President Bush said the terrorists were out to destroy, have now been severely curtailed. This article is also a critique of the dangers of anti-terrorism laws for media seeking to report a complex truth about nationalist struggles.
Inter Press Service English News Wire, Jun 12, 1995
Inter Press Service English News Wire, Dec 26, 2002
Inter Press Service English News Wire, Nov 24, 1995
Inter Press Service English News Wire, Mar 25, 1999
This book is the result of a research project covering eight countries in South and South East As... more This book is the result of a research project covering eight countries in South and South East Asia examining the role and impact of alternative media. The definition of alternative media depends very much on the political, social, cultural and economic environment you live in. Thus, this book gives the reader an idea of the diversity of alternative media sources available across Asia, which is very much a result of the different media regulatory regimes in the countries we have included in this study. While Bangladesh has had alternative media, in the form of community theatre and other artistic expressions for a long time, yet, community radio, which is fast becoming one of the most effective forms of alternative media in Asia, is slow to take off, because the regulations still do not allow it. Meanwhile in Indonesia and Thailand, community radio has taken off rapidly, with regulators struggling to come up with a formula to help regulate the sector while not shutting it down. In the Philippine community radio has existed legally for many years and is thriving, thus, there may be lessons others can learn from this experience. In Malaysia, where legislation tightly controls the establishment of media outlets, there are yet, some interesting examples of how alternative media could be effectively operated via the Internet. Sri Lanka, offers an interesting model where elements of community broadcasting could exist within a public service broadcaster. Thus, this book, gives you interesting examples from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand of how people are getting their voices heard - or are struggling to make that happen - using a variety of media and methods of expression. "Asian Media Information and Communication Centre" (AMIC) series is available exclusively from ISEAS for worldwide distribution.
Myth of ‘Free Media’ and Fake News in the Post-Truth Era, 2020
Paper presented at the launch of my book 'Myth of 'Free media' and Fake N... more Paper presented at the launch of my book 'Myth of 'Free media' and Fake News in the post-Truth Era' in Kuala Lumpur on 7 Dec 2019.
International Journal of Peace Education and Development, 2020
In recent years, before the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, the international media narrative on M... more In recent years, before the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, the international media narrative on Myanmar has been focused on the "Rohingya" issue presenting it as a case of a helpless Muslim minority being repressed by a powerful Buddhist majority. A so-called religious conflict has been overplayed, and the socioeconomic conditions and development issues that have given rise to this conflict are being ignored. Myanmar's attempted transition to democracy was hamstrung by a development dilemma that did not include merely minorities, but a major section of the rural Buddhist majority. This paper discusses the socio-economics of the Rohingya issue, and how geopolitical issues contribute to the conflict. The paper argues that a new mindful communication strategy is needed to report Myanmar's development problems in a more balanced fashion.
This paper examines how the Anglo-American media transmits a "fake" view of the world in the name... more This paper examines how the Anglo-American media transmits a "fake" view of the world in the name of freedom and why Asian media in particular need to understand how it works.
The tsunami demonstrated that modern journalists can do more than just bring unfolding stories to... more The tsunami demonstrated that modern journalists can do more than just bring unfolding stories to the world. One of the biggest lessons of the tsunami that is unravelling is that the modern journalist can also help to heal communities, rebuild lives, keep families intact and raise funds. The media should also keep an eye on government and relief agencies, helping to ensure that aid gets to the people who need it, and that those who deliver the goods remain accountable to the donors and practice ethical standards of aid delivery. The question of media freedoms is also an important part of this equation. Beyond what journalists can do, there is also the matter of what authorities will allow them to do. In other words, the question of how much a responsible media will be allowed to do its job. It is in the rehabilitation or healing process that the media face the most challenging task. In this endeavour, democracy and freedom to gather and disseminate information may not be enough. In ...
Media Asia, 2008
Abstract Ever since MTV Asia was launched from Singapore in 1995, the music channel has become on... more Abstract Ever since MTV Asia was launched from Singapore in 1995, the music channel has become one of the most recognisable media brands in the region. Its infuence on the music industries of Southeast Asia has been signifcant. Yet, it has not led to what cultural imperialist theorists have been arguing about, vis-à-vis foreign cultures imposing themselves on the local cultural spheres. MTV itself has had to increase its broadcasting allocation of local music in most countries, and in some countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, the MTV infuence has been countered with local music movements that have borrowed MTV's formatting and production techniques, but not its music. This paper1 will discuss how the cultural imperialism thesis is being challenged through the emergence of hybrid musical genres that use local and traditional styles of music and dance, but use MTV's production techniques in appropriating its "cool" branding formula and approach to marketing. I will be using as a case study Indonesia's Dangdut music, which is a genre of Indonesian pop and dance music heavily infuenced by Indian (Bollywood) flm music and Arabic pop music.
Inter Press Service English News Wire, Jul 17, 1995
Inter Press Service English News Wire, Aug 27, 2008
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Papers by Kalinga Seneviratne
We in traditional Asian Buddhist countries need to make note of this and take one hard look at the way we practice Buddhism today, its public role, and how Buddhism is taught to school-age children. There are genuine fears among Buddhists across Asia that their communities are under attack by rapidly expanding evangelical Christianity and lately Wahhabi Islam funded by petro-dollars of Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. They have been excused of exploiting the poverty of grassroots Buddhist communities for proselytism. While this may be true, we need to ask the question of why Asian Buddhists have become so vulnerable to such aggressive proselytism activities?
CONFERENCE(Webinar) -16 January 2021, SINGAPORE
The media needs to play an important role in facilitating and promoting such understanding and bonding among Buddhists in the region, which is not directed at challenging others but sharing the rich Buddhists heritage of the ASEAN region. This may need a new look at aspects of training journalists.
This paper will introduce a project Chulalongkorn University is involved that is developing course material and train-the-trainers workshops to implement journalism training in the ASEAN (as well as the SAARC) region that will take a unique approach to developing communication strategies based on Asian philosophical ideas and communication theories emanating from Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist and Confucius teachings. The paper will discuss concepts of mindful communications that can be drawn from Buddhist philosophies and how it could be applied to 21st century journalism practices in the ASEAN region to empower Buddhist communities to see development and modernization from a Buddhist perspective.
Well it worked okay for awhile, as long as media companies only owned media. But, today, both in Asia and the West, media is owned by large corporations, that are often more powerful than governments. They often use the media to protect and promote their vested interests.
This talk looked at developing a different model of journalism for Asia.
It further shows how the excessive commercialization of the media has changed the way journalism is practiced globally. It argues that the news media has drifted towards a public relations and influencer pedaling paradigm that is manufacturing consent to suit the interests of whoever owns the media. In this new era of the commodification of news, the book calls for a new paradigm in news reporting and explains how it can be transformed from an adversarial model to one of public advocacy in promoting more cooperation and social harmony in society. A mindful communication strategy drawing from Asian philosophical ideas is recommended.
Link for Buying Book: https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/myth-of-%E2%80%98free-media%E2%80%99-and-fake-news-in-the-post-truth-era/book271595
The book is really a consultancy report that was prepared for the International Buddhist Confederation and other Buddhist organizations and Buddhist leaders in Asia. Each country chapter contains a historical background to Buddhism in that country, and the first two chapters discuss in detail how Buddhism spread across Asia through the ages, especially through the Silk Routes, and also various Buddhist communication methodologies adopted through centuries.
Buddhists may be numerically superior within Sri Lanka with 70% of the population designated as Buddhists living among Hindus (about 15%), Christians (about 8%) and Muslims (about 8%). But, Buddhists also make up a majority of the poor especially in rural areas, while most Christians and Muslims are economically more empowered.
In the 21st century, Buddhists’ (and also Hindus’) poverty has become a huge reservoir for two religious forces to exploit – Evangelical (or Pentecostal) Christians from the West and South Korea, and Wahhabi Islamists mainly supported by Saudi Arabia. Both these movements have huge financial resources at its disposal.
These two powerful forces have been rapidly infiltrating Buddhist communities across Sri Lanka (Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand as well) who are feeling helpless because their own government is not helping them economically.
It has become fashionable for the international media and some Buddhist leaders and Buddhist groups in East Asia and the West to criticise Buddhists in these countries when they take direct action to defend their communities, without trying to understand the socio-economic situations that are giving rise to this.
The research for the report ‘The Scourge of Poverty and Proselytism’ was done in Sri Lanka in 2015 with financial assistance from the WBU to create a database on this problem in Sri Lanka to dispel ignorance.
A survey was undertaken of all the reports done since independence on the status of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and why no government has taken action on the recommendations to empower Buddhists to overcome the discrimination of the colonial era. A contents survey of how Sri Lankan Buddhists have been misrepresented in the international media was also done focusing on the reporting of the activities of Bodu Bala Sena between 2012 and 2014.
The research also looked at Buddhist social services that function with very little assistance from abroad, and why they are unable to counter activities of Christian and Islamic evangeical groups who have huge financial resources from overseas to target Buddhists for conversions exploiting their poverty.
This report also shows how Buddhist groups such as Bodu Bala Sena was exploited by countries like Norway, and Sri Lanka’s own government at the time. This is a group that started with a noble intention of socio-economically empowering the grassroots Buddhists with skills training, but ended up being misled into violent street actions and labelled as “extremists”.
The report’s conclusions and recommendation includes an urgent need for a well coordinated international Buddhist charity – similar to the Catholic World Vision - to help empower these grassroots Buddhist communities; strict monitoring of NGO funding from overseas; need for a Community Harmony Bill (not an Anti-Conversion Bill); strict zoning laws to control ‘illegal’ construction of churches, mosques and temples; and concerted efforts by the Buddhists to convince other religious minorities that Sri Lanka’s unique and rich Buddhist heritage belongs to all Sri Lankans.
This report will be a good resource, especially for media practitioners to understand the socio-economics of religious conflicts in Asia today, and gather wisdom on the fact that religious conflicts are not necessarily based on statistics.
alleged national security breaches in the US, and a cold war era propaganda the campaign between the Anglo-American media and China gathering momentum, a timely new book sheds some light on how the so-called “free media” has ditched its libertarian values.
The book titled Myth of ‘Free Media’ and Fake News in the Post-Truth Era published by SAGE 2020 and written by Sri Lankan-born journalist and communication scholar Kalinga Seneviratne* challenges the Anglo-American media’s claim to be an objective ‘free media’. He maintains that the western media fails to understand that objectivity in news is subjective.
In this scenario, former Indian diplomat Phunchok Stobdan's book on the Buddhist Himalayas is very timely.