Only a few people have influenced the course of Sri Lanka’s history in the manner that the late D.R. Wijewardene, founder of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL), has done. As we commemorate the 131st Birth Anniversary of this noble son of Sri Lanka on February 23, it is time to re-evaluate his yeoman service to the Nation and to journalism.
Wijewardene, founder of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL), will always be known as the doyen of the newspaper industry in Sri Lanka. Born on February 23, 1886, Don Richard Wijewardene was the third son of a family of nine. He received early education at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, and later entered the Cambridge University in England, where he met some of the leaders of the Independence Movement of India and also witnessed the power of the media in moulding public opinion, the press being very vibrant in the UK. National hero E.W. Perera, who famously took letters urging Independence for Ceylon, hidden in his shoes, was a close associate who influenced Wijewardene to join the freedom struggle.
Yoke of colonialism
This was a turning point in his life that inspired him to actively contribute to the independence struggle in his native land. Incidentally, Wijewardene is credited with re-discovering the Lion Flag that was brought to the ground by the British on March 2, 1815, from an archival facility in London.
Wijewardene, hailing from an affluent family, could have looked the other way and pursued his business interests while the people back home suffered under the yoke of colonialism. But he did not. He wanted to be in the vanguard of the freedom movement, and in newspapers found the perfect medium to carry forward the freedom struggle.
A patriot to his fingertips, Wijewardene found the right opening for his anti-colonial mission by purchasing the Sinhala publication Dinamina (which means the Sun) started by legendary editor H.S Perera. Just four years later, he bought the Ceylonese and renamed it the Ceylon Daily News, now the biggest selling English newspaper in the country and the flagship of the ANCL. Founded in March 1918, the Ceylon Daily News became such an ingrained part of people’s lives that many old timers and even younger readers still call it the CDN, long after the newspaper shed the ‘Ceylon’ tag. It became one of the most influential voices in the local political scene, shaping opinions and creating debate, and it remains so, just one year away from its proud centenary.
He then purchased the Observer, which was already 90 years old, having begun publishing in 1834. (The Daily Observer folded around 10 years ago but the Sunday Observer, which you are reading now, is as vibrant as ever). The Sinhala weekly Silumina was started in 1930 and the Thinakaran in Tamil followed a couple of years later, making ANCL the first trilingual publishing house in the island.
Historic landmark
The ANCL was formally established in 1926 and all operations were shifted to the purpose-built “Lake House” building by the banks of the Beira Lake in the heart of Colombo, in 1929. Hence, the name “Lake House”. The company, the biggest newspaper publisher in Sri Lanka, operates from this historic landmark building to this day and the name “Lake House” is now synonymous with ANCL. Although the building has undergone renovations and expansion on a few occasions, the original architectural features have been retained throughout.
Wijewardene, with his hand-picked team of erudite editors and journalists who shared his noble vision and mission, was in the forefront of the island’s independence struggle through his array of newspapers in all three languages. He saw his dream being fulfilled in 1948, but unfortunately, passed away just two years later, on June 13, 1950, leaving a lasting legacy that will forever be etched in the minds of all Sri Lankans and in the annals of journalism in Sri Lanka.
Wijewardene revolutionized the newspaper industry and journalism in Sri Lanka with his fearless commitment to exposing the truth through ANCL newspapers. As one of his biographers, the one-time Chief Editor of the Daily News H.A.J. Hulugalle wrote, “before he was fifty, D. R. Wijewardene had established several flourishing newspapers, built up a great business and influenced the course of the Island’s history. Perseverance, courage and a high sense of public duty were the main elements of his success.”
Printing machinery
He was a perfectionist and a trailblazer. The Lake House edifice, instantly recognized by people across the island, is a proud monument to his lasting legacy. He also installed the latest printing technology available at that time and assured a good working environment for his employees. The ANCL continues this tradition, having recently installed some of the latest printing machinery available in Asia.
Indeed, men of his calibre are few and far between. While the newspaper industry has changed drastically since the 1950s, the ideals he cherished in the field of journalism still hold true. However, not all journalists and media outlets play by these rules. Today, print media outlets are facing stiff competition from electronic and new media – there was no television here during Wijewardene’s time. Newspapers have also embraced the Internet even as they compete with dedicated news websites and citizen journalism websites, not to mention Facebook and Twitter. People are bombarded with news 24/7, on their mobiles, on television, radio and the Net. Truth and accuracy often become casualties of this ‘race to be first’ and even national interests are sometimes disregarded.
Despite these developments, reports of the death of the (printed) newspaper are greatly exaggerated. Newspapers still have a story to tell – one that is more analytical, more in-depth and assuredly more trustworthy than the sound bites and video clips of the Internet age. Yes, newspapers will evolve and change over time but all journalists, regardless of their platform, still have to be guided by the principles that Wijewardene believed in – being bold, truthful and objective - in this noble mission.