The BBC has suspended broadcasts on the Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation following “continued interruption and interference” of BBC Tamil programming.
World Service director Peter Horrocks described the interference, which was picked up last week and yesterday, as a “serious breach of trust” by the SLBC.
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“We regret the disruption in service to our loyal audiences in Sri Lanka, but such targeted interference in our programmes is a serious breach of trust with those audiences, which the BBC cannot allow", Horrocks said.
“We spoke to SLBC last week about interference that took place on 16-18 March and warned them they were in breach of their broadcasting agreement. Further disruption on Monday 25 March has left the BBC with no alternative but to suspend the service with immediate effect.
“If the SLBC have specific complaints about any BBC output they should take them with us, as we have invited them to do and not interfere directly with broadcasts in ways that are unacceptable to the BBC and misleading to our audiences.”
The BBC said it had taken similar action in 2009 due to service disruption and today told viewers that BBC material can still be accessed in Sri Lanka on shortwave radio and online.
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