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A new vision for the State media

At a time when the exact nature and functions of the State media have become the subject of public debate, Information and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera has helped define the essence of this vital segment of the mass communication field.

Outlining the Government's new vision for the State media, the Minister said that the task at hand was to make the State media "responsible for the nation". They are to guide other sections of the media through their good example, since media control through law-enforcement is out of the question.

This paradigm would require the State media to identify and represent the common good at all times. In other words, the State media would need to continuously exercise a sense of social responsibility. If the State media adhere to these standards, the possibility is great that they would be trend-setters for the rest of the local media.

The public interest, thus, becomes the cornerstone of the operations of the State media. Accordingly, the State media should be in a position to expose, clarify and debate public issues.

In doing this, the State media would need to operate with the utmost restraint and an acute sense of responsibility. It is no secret that some sections of the local media are in the hands of partisan political and business interests. These links tend to colour and distort the perceptions of these sections of the media. Meanwhile, the public interest is very often compromised.

The State media would need to steer clear of such interest groups, if they are to be faithful to the common good. In fact, balanced presentation of news and views would need to be a cardinal operating principle of the State media. The appointment of an Internal Ombudsman to receive and probe public complaints on the State media would, we believe, enable the latter to be loyal to the public good.

We are glad that local teledramas are receiving the attention of the State. Not all tele dramas being featured in the State media measure up to the highest standards expected of this art form. They are very often intertwined with business interests and tend to distort and trivialize local reality. Getting a committee to probe and monitor this art form is, indeed, a step in the right direction.

We also applaud the move by the State to attach top priority to education on Rupavahini. A separate channel for education would prove a great boon for the people. For, education plays an essential role in the people's educational and cultural upliftment.

In fact, we are happy that cultural advancement would now be coming into its own. As Minister Samaraweera explained, we needn't be "slaves of history", but the best in the local culture needs to be presented by the media while selectively adopting what is appropriate in modern civilization, technical or otherwise.

Globalization - as is well known - is a mixed bag. The best of our local cultural traditions need to protected and perpetuated in the face of the ravages unleashed by globalization. The State media could be of great assistance in this task.

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Mushrooms for life

"Springing up like mushrooms" is a common expression. As the saying implies, they can grow in abundance almost everywhere. They may be simple fungi, but few other foods can tickle our taste buds in the way that mushrooms do.

Our thoughts turn to this delectable delicacy as millions of people across Europe, especially the Czech Republic, take to the woods this month in search of mushrooms. The less energetic will head to Prague's Zofin Palace for the world's largest exhibition of mushrooms, featuring 400 types.

The mushroom lovers will not be disappointed - there are more than 200,000 species of mushrooms around the world, from the giant rounded Langermannia gigantea which can grow to almost one metre (three feet) to the multicolored Boletus calopus and the feather-shaped Grigola frondosa.

They come in all shapes and sizes and in various shades of red, purple, orange and yellow - as well as common beige and brown.

Mushrooms can be eaten in an equally complicated number of ways - fried, dried, curried, cooked in soup or pickled. They can also be combined with other foods with great results. But then, one has to be careful: Some mushrooms are poisonous.

This is precisely the 'fun factor' in searching for mushrooms. Most mushroom hunters are armed with 'mushroom encyclopedias' to check what is edible and what is not. 'Mushroom hunting' has almost become a separate industry in countries such as Italy, which attracts hundreds of mushroom tour groups every year. And the mushrooms come absolutely free.

Many mushroom fanatics believe that the recipe to a healthy life is to avoid smoking and drinking hard alcohol, walk regularly and eat plenty of mushrooms.

Unfortunately, mushrooms do not have much of a reputation in this part of the world, despite having a good climate and plenty of water which are ideal conditions for the growth of this fungi. Hundreds of mushroom species grow all over Sri Lanka, but there is no culture of 'mushroom picking' for food. Most wouldn't know an edible mushroom even if they tripped over one.

Agriculture authorities should encourage the farming of edible mushroom species by providing special incentives and concessions. They can be popularised as a relatively inexpensive, nutritious food that can easily be prepared in a variety of ways. After all, it can be the passport to a healthy, long life.

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