Frederica Jansz Fired From The Leader
Mandy, Lal and Frederica at the Journalism Awards in 2010.
Editor Frederica Jansz has been fired from The Sunday Leader, she says for not agreeing with the new owner to “curb her style of writing and compromise her credibility” (BBC). I worked at the Leader for a while and what I hear is that the new owner, connected stock player Asanga Seneviratne, did ask her to run any personal criticism of the first family (the Rajapaksas) by him. Which could be innocuous but could be dodge, most likely the latter.
The Leader in the past has attacked people personally, unnecessarily and at times inaccurately. I’ve long complained about that turn of affairs, written about it, and basically lost my job at the Leader for one particular blog post (among other things, of course, no beef). I do think the Leader lost its way, insomuch as it had one, and they went overboard sometimes. Sadly, a lot of people won’t believe what the Leader publishes even if it’s true and the picture of the paper is much more conflicted than the angelic image it has in the western press.
However, for all its flaws, it was still one of the few places where anything goes. I’ve been at those editorial meetings and the Leader was incredibly free-wheeling, perhaps too much so.
I’ve worked with Frederica for years, both at the Leader and Montage and like her very much. She took time to ensure that writers got paid (rare) and helped me develop my career quite selflessly and happily. I’ve been yelled at also, but she was always supportive and cool. Being Editor of the Leader was never an easy job but I think she did pretty well. Even her mistakes were newsworthy and she became a media personality in her own right.
The Leader long had financial troubles, struggling to make payroll at times, and they needed to get bought out. The sad fact of this, however, is that by being bought by someone with vital business connections with the government, the paper will be compromised. It won’t hit-hit-hit, which is good in that they hit a bit too randomly, but it’s bad in that it’ll probably become neutered like The Nation, a good paper with a good Editor that nonetheless lacks teeth.
So that’s what you’re left with in English papers. I once contributed to an Editorial in the Leader called You Buy The Lie. It’s in the paper’s voice, not mine, and I think it kinda applies today.
Posted on Saturday, September 22nd, 2012 in Media, Sri Lanka, Sunday Leader.
Mohsin Hamid, author of How To Get Filthy Rich In Rising Asia, has a nice 
I’m happy to be featured in Echelon magazine’s 40 Under 40 feature, profiling young people who contribute to the economy in some way, mainly in business but also in terms of innovation and thought leadership. It’s an interesting article not just in that I’m in it (mainly for work on indi.ca and 
I won’t add too much commentary, but just read I guess. The youngest Rajapaksa, Rohitha (Chi Chi) has given an amazing interview to the 
In 2009 this strange character appeared on the Sri Lankan Internet scene, getting angry, flaming, trolling whatever. Then he started naming anonymous bloggers, posting comments as people’s kids, nasty stuff, for which I removed him from 
A smug, self-satisfied smile appeared on my face when I read of Frederica Jansz’s dismissal from the Sunday Leader.
I’m only being honest here. And I do not think it would be an exaggeration to say that many other Sri Lankans would have felt the same way.
The newspaper is a sad excuse for journalism.
Lionised by media rights groups (including international ones), and paraded as the epitome of journalistic brilliance by sycophants, the paper has long been only suitable for wiping one’s posterior after passing a bowel motion, and even then I think very many buttocks would be offended. It’s rise to eminence in political life kin the island was not wrought from decency and journalistic acumen, but rather from controversy and the ability to drag individuals and communities through the mud in the most unethical and unbecoming of fashions.
These may sound like harsh comments, but the way the the newspaper has carried itself over the years under the direction of Lasantha Wickrematunga, and then his protege Frederica Jansz has been absolutely appalling. The duo used the newspaper as their personal property, abusing their power as editors to carry out personal vendettas against anyone they deemed to have crossed them. Both spoke of being “hounded” yet both had no compunction in hounding others. They spoke of being “unbowed and unafraid” yet were willing to sell their newspaper to the highest bidder, even openly throwing support behind certain political candidates. They spoke of “democracy” but were more than happy to debase, degrade and fire people who held differing opinions.
At the heart of the matter are small and deformed characters, poisoned with the bile of hatred and malice. They speak as if they are angels with hearts of gold and a moral compass far superior to the ordinary citizen, but any calm reflection of the facts will reveal them to be rather demoniacal in nature with a talent for making capital out of everything that turns up, to be invested not for the sake of the public, but for their own special praise and glory.
On this occasion, there is no need for Sri Lankans to assume an air of doleful gravity and stand with the corners of our mouths lowered in the most penitential style. In stories told to us as children the bad guys eventually receive their comeuppance. Likewise, Frederica’s sacking represents that moment when the just desserts for years of bad behaviour finally catch up with her.
tastyjujubes… you have ‘hit the nail on the head’ with your comment. Excellent!
Well things are looking up. I must say. The second editor sacked from a paper in the last three months.
She was sacked as opposed to being killed or abducted. Quite an improvement I would say…
@ tastyjujubes, concur. Rightly summed up!
Good riddance of bad rubbish. Very rarely did the paper carry anything worthwhile under this women. Even when they did, as a reader, I didn’t know how much to believe. She was a lame excuse for a journalist.
@tastyjubes: well said.
Indica, like many Sri Lankans you seem to have lost moral and ethic direction, and on the way your backbone to openly defend whats right, instead bowing for the corrupt and undemocratic, dictatorial rulers of the country. I don’t like or have any respect for people who don’t dare to take the truth in their hands (or write it), but keep silent on the malpractises, only to talk or write light-weighted rubbish instead. As a Buddhist I think that is despicable. That is why I have stopped reading you blogg long ago, except for this time googling for articles about the takeover of Sunday Leader. No regretts from your side at all about Goverment (and Sajin Vaas Gunawardena) connected new owner and the loss of a critical voice. This was a scenario Article 19 saw alreday in april this year and warned UN about. For a corrupt regime with no tolerance for free speech or ideas, this scenario was exspected. When it couldn’t stop critical voices by killing journalist or making them disappear, it tried attacking and burning their offices. Later introducing conditioned registering of web sites (and unfounded police raids on some). Evidently they have now gone to the extent of buying up dissenting voices through their cronies and silence them that way. And writers like you just keep silence on the matter…Disgusting! How much have they paid you?
How desperate is this woman?
Australia denies asylum for threatened Sri Lanka editor
THE sacked editor of an anti-government newspaper in Sri Lanka said Friday that her political asylum claim had been rejected by Australia despite threats to her life at home.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/australia-denies-asylum-for-threatened-sri-lanka-editor/story-e6frf7k6-1226489569423
Buh bye! So long!
Editor seeks political refuge abroad
THE Sri Lankan newspaper editor told by a government official she would be killed – but who was denied protection in Australia – has fled Colombo for political asylum in another country.
http://www.watoday.com.au/world/editor-seeks-political-refuge-abroad-20121109-293ej.html