info society rising in sri lanka: are you ready? by nalaka gunawardene, 27 jan 2016

Information Society Rising in Sri Lanka:

ARE YOU READY?

By Nalaka GunawardeneNew Media Watcher & Experimenter

At launch of CPA’s new survey report on Consumption of Mainstream and New Media

in Western Province of Sri Lanka27 January 2016, Colombo

nalakagunawardene.com


Where I come from… Asker of questions… Connector of dots… Reflecting from the intersection of:

Information TechnologyPopular cultureDevelopmentScience

http://nalakagunawardene.com/ravaya-column/


More questions than answers! Is mainstream media or MSM (esp.

newspapers) in LKA in slow decline? How financially viable are most of our

print & broadcast companies? Does it matter to them either way?

Do our mainstream media know WHO is consuming their content, and how?

Digital content consumption is rising, but what are the key trends? Where are we headed in next 5 years?


Reminds me of a famous exchange, in 19th Century…

William Randolph Hearst, US press baron: “Is there life on Mars? Please cable 1,000 words!”

Percival Lowell, renowned US astronomer, replied:“Don’t know” x 500 times!


We cannot keep on guessing!And evidence is not that far… Primary research empirical data

needed for a clear, detailed picture Especially on ‘Demand side’ of media use Supply side can be discerned partly from:

TRCSL’s telecom industry collated data Broadcast industry ratings (challenged!) But newspaper circ. data is not shared by any

publishing company; no trade stats either How do Lankans access and share

information & media content?


WHY demand-side insights matter New govt. keen on media sector reforms

at policy & regulatory level: should be based on evidence & sound analysis

Media, telecom and digital industries converging: everyone looking for ‘killer apps’ and biz opps. (only some find it)

Media companies compete for finite advertising budget

Advertisers want biggest bang for buck: where are eyeballs? How to get to them?


Total advertising spend LKR 77b in 2014: Where is digital/online?

Source: Neilsen Sri LankaBased on monitored activities & rate card cost


Internet coverage and use spreading in Sri Lanka… 25% of Lanka population

using web regularly by 2015 80%+ of web access is thru

mobile devices National Backbone Network

(Fibre-optic) being laid by Sri Lanka Telecom: to cover all 329 admin divisions by 2018

Map from: http://www.slt.lk nalakagunawardene.com


My analogy for web’s larger societal shadow: Umbra+Penumbra during eclipses!

Something similar happening in LKA with 25% direct Internet users’ access casting a wider shadow in society: they share content/ideas with many non-users, creating a ‘multiplier effect’


CPA’s new study full of useful insights…and some surprises! Private TV most popular source of new,

followed by Facebook/web Across different age groups, smartphone is

device most used to access the web Culture of SHARING and engendering

TRUST: peer influence rising Jaffna has highest per capita Internet

penetration in Sri Lanka (from a separate source: TNS Sri Lanka market research)


My interest (as parent of one) is on 18-24 age group… CPA study finds they “…don’t

meaningfully engage with mainstream media (MSM) as newspapers, radio or TV. Wherever they are, they engage with MSM content primarily through smartphones, Facebook and chat apps…”

“They also produce content of their own, contesting and complementing mainstream media.”


Example 1: Hashtag Generation:Youth created political memes

One of many memes released during run-up to Sri Lanka General Election, Aug 2015



Example 2: Social media users are irreverent: will lampoon everyone!

King Perakum-Bra!Jan 2016 Meme ridicules President Sirisena for his over-reaction to ‘bra-throwing’ incident at Enrique concert on 20 Dec 2015, combined with controversial ‘king song’ made to mark his first anniversary in office


Example 3: Social Media users critique mainstream media’s racism

A meme response to Divaina rept of 12 April 2015 that gave an anti-Tamil spin on Sampur lands being given back to their rightful owners nearly 6 years after civil war ended


Who really made the difference for Mr Sirisena’s Jan 2015 victory?Mr Sirisena: 6,217,162 (51.28%) Mr Rajapaksa: 5,768,090 (47.58% )Difference: 449,072Probable factors for Sirisena victory include: Sections of Sinhala educated middle class? Ethnic & religious minorities? Web-savvy youth in 18-24 demographic (=1

million approx. who got voting rights for 1st time, having recently turned 18)?


Recent civil soc campaigns: March 12 Movement for cleaner political reps

https://www.facebook.com/pages/March-12-Movement/858219587602508


Recent civil soc campaigns: VoteWomenSL campaign

Managed to elect only 13 women MPs out of 225 MPs in Parliament of 2015 (6% of total)

Why didn’t campaign gain more traction?

Did it not engage youth voters using media and channels they use?


WHY these insights matter…to govt, biz, civil soc & othersAs the CPA study report has noted:“Along with more traditional investments around telecommunications infrastructure and market imperatives, it can be expected that in under five years – the term of the new government – Sri Lanka will enjoy coast to coast wireless broadband coverage, with a population that is connected through at least one platform or one device, to the Internet, web and social media.”


Are mobile phones damaging our youth and culture?

My engagement of grassroots volunteers of Sarvodaya governance programme on 23 Jan 2016 at Sarvodaya Institute


Is it worth even entering the noisy, chaotic social media?

My engagement on new media with National Catholic Center for Social Communications on 26 Jan 2016


Big challenge to Sri Lanka’s civil society & social movements Acknowledge we live in media-rich

information society (Get used to it!) Appreciate younger Lankans consume

and process media content differently Understand these differences Leverage digital pathways and channels

for social advocacy & public interest NOT A CHOICE, BUT IMPERATIVE!


2016 – 2020: A decisive phase in Sri Lanka’s modern history… Dealing with unresolved issues of war Working on genuine reconciliation Consolidating democracy and good

governance Formulating a new Constitution Evolving a more open, egalitarian society CONSULTATION & PARTICIPATION VITAL


Wanted, badly: More research, analysis & insights! Many Lankan social scientists wary of

studying ICTs’ impact on society: WHY? Most engineers and techies don’t bother

with societal implications of their work This is NOT a technological matter, but

sociological, anthropological, cultural Multidisciplinary studies are best


Needed, urgent: More Imagination & Innovation!

Are we going to be bound by old tools or habits?


Census 2012: Mobile is most common comm. device in Lankan households


What would DS Senanayake do,if he were alive today?

This is the way ththth

Cartoon by Dharshana Karunathilake


Future is mobile…

Cartoon by Dharshana Karunathilake


Thank You!Email:[email protected]:http://nalakagunawardene.com Twitter: @NalakaG

My Ravaya columns archived online:http://nalakagunawardene.com/ravaya-column/
