US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO1722

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001722 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INR/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA 
SA/INS (DEAN, BRENNIG) SA/PD (SCENSNY, 
ROGERS, 
STRYKER);SSA/PAS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, PREL, CE 
SUBJECT:  Who's watching what: A snapshot of 
Sri Lankan 
television viewing habits 
 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY.  Sri Lankan Media Minister 
Mangala 
Samaraweera recently stated that he wished to 
see changes 
to the state-run media, particularly 
improving the quality 
of the very popular teledramas (soap operas) 
watched by 
millions of Sri Lankans.  Recent surveys also 
indicate that 
most Sri Lankans receive their news primarily 
through TV. 
Following is an analysis of viewer habits 
based on surveys 
commissioned by the local office of A.C. 
Nielson in 2004 
and by USAID in 2003.  End summary. 
 
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SNAPSHOT OF THE SRI LANKAN TELEVISION SCENE 
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2.  (U) REGIONAL BREAKDOWN:  Data gathered by 
Lanka Market  Research Bureau (LMRB), a local 
polling firm whose clients include the Sri 
Lanka office of A.C. Nielsen, indicate that 
the majority of viewers in the rural south 
and center of  the country get their news via 
government-owned television broadcasts, 
whereas elites in Colombo tend to depend on 
Sri Lanka's independent broadcasters or 
international channels (via satellite feed or 
cable) such as BBC or CNN for their TV news. 
Residents in the north and east can receive 
either Indian television stations or 
Maharajah's Shakthi Tamil broadcasts, but 
have no access to the government-owned 
stations, as the broadcast "footprint" does 
not 
extend to the fullest reaches of that region. 
Additionally, a USAID-funded study done in 
2003 indicated that overall 57 percent of Sri 
Lankans used television as their primary news 
source. 
 
3.  (U) Sri Lankans of all socioeconomic 
classes watched 
teledramas - especially in Sinhala or Tamil - 
much more than other evening programs.  The 
LMRB study reported that they watched 
religious programming in English the least of 
all programs surveyed.  While Sinhalese 
viewers across all socioeconomic groups had 
relatively high percentages of respondents 
who regularly watched news programming 
(between 50 and 75 percent), among Tamils the 
percentages were insignificant in all but the 
most affluent class.  The research indicated 
that Sri Lankans in several age groups 
watched between 1.3 and 3 hours of television 
a day, a figure that spiked during the 
weekend.  According to LMRB's research, 
individuals in the 15 to 34-year-old 
demographic watched the most television in 
general, but viewership dropped off later in 
life, except for that of news programming. 
 
4.  (U) As in many other countries, 
government-owned 
stations dominate the Sri Lankan television 
scene, but 
independent broadcasters have a significant 
market share 
and are gradually gaining in importance. 
Government-owned 
stations include Rupavahini and the 
Independent Television 
Network (ITN), both of which broadcast in 
English, Sinhala 
and Tamil.  Among independent broadcasters, 
Maharajah 
Broadcasting carries all three languages, 
whereas 
Swarnavahini is Sinhala-only.  Estimates 
indicate that 
approximately 95 percent of Sri Lankans 
outside the north 
and east (which were not surveyed) have daily 
access to at 
least one television (Note: That figure would 
undoubtedly 
be somewhat lower if the impoverished and war- 
torn north 
and east were included in the data.  End 
note) Many large 
companies have television in their break 
facilities, for 
example, and local restaurants will often 
have televisions 
that patrons can watch.  Prime time for Sri 
Lankan viewers 
is from seven to eleven p.m., when news 
broadcasts and 
political talk shows with viewer call-ins are 
aired. 
Evening news broadcasts last twenty minutes 
apiece, with 
between one and a half to three minutes 
devoted to 
international news (and up to five for sports 
coverage). 
 
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TELEDRAMAS - KING OF PRIMETIME? 
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5.  (U) The favorite programs in the prime 
time slot are 
"teledramas" - serialized dramatic programs 
in Sinhala or 
Tamil usually sponsored by large businesses. 
In remarks on 
September 14, Media Minister Mangala 
Samaraweera decried 
the content of teledramas, and stated that a 
three-member 
committee would be set up to regulate and 
evaluate 
teledramas and make sure that they were up to 
"high 
standards."  No specific actions have yet 
been taken, 
however.  State-run media rules prohibit 
explicit portrayal 
of sexual or violent scenes.  However, a 
local NGO, the 
Alcohol and Drug Information Center, recently 
claimed there 
was a scene featuring alcohol, or an alcohol 
advertisement, 
every ten minutes on state-run television 
programs. 
 
6.  (U) Teledramas are so prevalent, in fact, 
that a recent 
survey done by local firm Survey Research 
Lanka indicated 
that teledramas were the highest-watched 
shows on every 
network operating in Sri Lanka.  Next came 
the ubiquitous 
broadcasts of various cricket test matches, 
which claimed 
between 19 to 37 percent of viewers on 
average, while the 
nightly Sinhala news program ranked dead 
last. According to 
data from the Media Ministry, approximately 
40 percent of 
Sri Lankans admit to watching at least one 
teledrama per 
day, whereas daily news viewership recorded 
as high as 70 
percent in some areas of the island. 
Anecdotal evidence 
suggests, however, that many viewers tune 
into news 
programs to catch the highlights at the 
beginning and then 
quickly switch to a teledrama, thus skewing 
reported 
viewership for both news programming and 
teledramas. 
 
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POLITICAL DEBATE ALSO HAS A PLACE 
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7.  (U) While teledramas lead the ratings 
among Sri Lankans 
overall, Sri Lankan viewers with an 
intellectual bent 
aren't left out:  three popular talk shows 
cater to those 
desiring debate over political and social 
issues.  Viewers 
can call into these programs, one of which is 
hosted by 
former Minister of Economic Reform, Science 
and Technology 
Milinda Moragoda.  One government-run network 
weekly debate 
show recently had as its theme current views 
of the present 
political situation, with five MPs who lost 
in the April 2 
Parliamentary elections.  Other topics of 
political debate 
have included freedom of expression and the 
current media 
culture, and a review of the current 
government after six 
months in office. 
 
8.  (U) COMMENT:  While television news takes 
third place 
behind teledramas and sports coverage, it is 
nevertheless 
the dominant source of news for more than 
half the general 
Sri Lankan public. In contrast, only about 18- 
20 percent 
obtain their news mainly from newspapers. 
Television 
exerts a large influence on Sri Lankan public 
attitudes, 
especially toward international issues. 
Given the 
importance and influence of television in Sri 
Lanka, PD 
Colombo will continue to seek opportunities 
to place our 
material on TV and arrange for TV coverage of 
our different 
visitors and activities.  Such an approach 
should help 
reach a broader audience than just the 
traditional elites. 
END COMMENT. 
 
LUNSTEAD