Introduction
The Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) provides a voluntary self regulatory method to resolve inaccuracies that may occur in newspapers, magazines, journals and online editions of newspapers. Bound by the Editors' Code, the PCCSL resolves complaints in a FAST,FREE and FAIR
The Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) is a voluntary self-regulatory mechanism inaugurated on October 15, 2003 by the media industry following an international conference whose outcome was the Colombo Declaration on Press Freedom and Social Responsibility of 1998 and re-visited in 2008 and 2018.
The international seminar held in Colombo in 1998 was organized by the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, The Editors' Guild of Sri Lanka and the Free Media Movement in association with the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, the World Association of Newspapers, the Commonwealth Press Union, the International Press Institute, Article 19 and the Media Institute of Southern Africa.
It works on the principles of conciliation, mediation and arbitration under the Arbitration Act No 11 of 1995. The High Court of Colombo is empowered to enforce an arbitration award made under the Act; in the event a newspaper fails to publish the decision of the Dispute Resolution Council of the PCCSL should a complainant wish to pursue a case where the editor is not abiding by the arbitral decision.
The PCCSL was founded on October 15, 2003 and is a voluntary, independent (no government involvement) self regulatory body for the print media only.
Vision
To promote the Code of Professional Practice of The Editors' Guild of Sri Lanka as a means towards promoting self-regulation in the print media while emphasizing its importance towards ethical reporting in building a socially responsible press; to resolve disputes between the print media and the public through conciliation, mediation, arbitration and to advocate for a more responsible media.
Mission
To be the leader in self-regulation in Sri Lanka and South Asia region
Objectives
To provide an effective mechanism to readers n resolving complaints fast, free and fair and to promote good professional practices.
Remit
Exclusively for print media and includes the Online version of a printed newspaper
