About Us

The Local Voices radio programmes aims to link media practitioners, international humanitarian law and human rights experts and civil society networks with communities to promote inter-ethnic relations and to highlight commonalities in human rights issues affecting Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka.

The Local Voices radio programmes are produced by Internews’ Media Houses in Matara, Ampara and Kalmunai. The Media Houses exist to provide a platform for the development of independent local media that
a) serves local communities but b) feeds into a more balanced and informed portrayal of the South and East in the national broadcast and print media based in Colombo.

Current Media House activities include:

• Training programs for local journalists (through an Internews partnership with the Sri Lanka Press Institute, SLPI)
• Access to facilities for journalists to file stories/materials to their Colombo outlets
• Regular meetings and professional development seminars
• Support for production of the “Local Voices” current affairs radio programming that looks at issues in the South and East.