Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03COLOMBO1131
2003-07-01 07:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

FY-2004 IV PROGRAM: SRI LANKAN NOMINATION FOR

Tags:  OEXC SCUL KPAO 
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010739Z Jul 03
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001131 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISABELLE ZSOLDOS/SEQUITA ROBINSON;
INFO: ECA/PE/V/G/N-ALICE SHIFFLETT; SA/PD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO OEXC
SUBJECT: FY-2004 IV PROGRAM: SRI LANKAN NOMINATION FOR
MRP ON "TV BROADCASTING": APRIL 1-22, 2004
PROJECT NUMBER: E/VP-2004-0018

REF: (A) STATE 96274, (B) COLOMBO 0676

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001131

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISABELLE ZSOLDOS/SEQUITA ROBINSON;
INFO: ECA/PE/V/G/N-ALICE SHIFFLETT; SA/PD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO OEXC
SUBJECT: FY-2004 IV PROGRAM: SRI LANKAN NOMINATION FOR
MRP ON "TV BROADCASTING": APRIL 1-22, 2004
PROJECT NUMBER: E/VP-2004-0018

REF: (A) STATE 96274, (B) COLOMBO 0676


1. POST NOMINATES MR. M. P. ASOKA DIAS, NEWS DIRECTOR-
SIRASA, MBC AND MTV, FOR PARTICIPATION IN SUBJECT
PROJECT.


2. NOMINATION IS AS FOLLOWS:
START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT):
: The following data is in a fixed format which enables
: automated processing in Washington and should not be
: edited except by means of the Post-EVDB software.
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB
VERSION: 3.0.5
POST-EMAIL: rscmb@pd.state.gov
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Colombo
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 2929
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA
START NOMINATION:
ECA-OFFICE: E/VP
PROG-AGENCY-NAME:
POST-PROJ-ID: 92
ECA-PROJ-NO: E/VP-2004-0018
PROJ-NAME: TV Broadcasting - April 1-22, 2004
START MEMO PROJ-DESC:

END MEMO PROJ-DESC:
PROJ-TYPE: Multi-Regional
PROG-TYPE: IV Group Projects
FY: 2004
DEPART-POST: 03/30/2004
SESSION-DATE: 04/01/2004
RETURN-POST: 04/25/2004
NO-OF-PART: 1
RANK-ORDER: 9
START MEMO POST-OBJ:
This nomination is in support of MPP goal on
"Democracy"
END MEMO POST-OBJ:
START MEMO POST-RCMD:

END MEMO POST-RCMD:
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1027
PROG-AGENCY-ID:
PROJ-TYPE-ID: MRP
PROG-TYPE-ID: 31
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 2929
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
STATUS: N
ORIGINATOR: P
SUBJ-DISC:
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mr.
F-NAME: Mahamarakkala P.
M-NAME: Asoka
L-NAME: DIAS
SUFFIX:
POSITION-CODE: 0
PRINCIPAL?: Yes
M-ADDR1: 12 Richard de Soysa Media Housing Scheme
M-ADDR2: Talangama North
M-ADDR3:
M-CITY: Battaramulla
M-STATE:
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
M-ZONE:
M-ZIP:
M-PHONE: (94-1) 788-243
M-FAX:
M-EMAIL: asokadias@slt.lk
M-CNTRY-ID: CE
M-ADDRTYPE: H
GENDER: M
DOB: 12/02/1967
MAR-STAT: M
BIRTH-CITY: Moratuwa
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
START MEMO POSITION:
News Director- Sirasa, MBC and MTV, 2002- to date
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:

END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
1997-2002 - Assistant News Director, MBC and MTV
1996-97 - Chief News Editor, TV, MTV Channel
1995-96 - News Editor, Sirasa FM and 'Yes' FM radio
channels
1990-95 - Journalist, 'Vidura," science weekly
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
None
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
Bangladesh, Canada, India, Nepal and UK
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level)
examination, 1986
END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:

END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS:

END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID:

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: Sinhala
ENGL-READ: 4
ENGL-SPEAK: 4
ENGL-COMP: 4
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
This nomination is in support of MPP goal on
"Democracy"
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:

END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
START MEMO VIS-OBJ:

END MEMO VIS-OBJ:
START MEMO VIS-REC:

END MEMO VIS-REC:
NOMINATING-OFFICER: Bruce A. Lohof
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
Post has been quite successful and confident with media
coverage of numerous events with MTV and Sirasa
TV/Radio.
Sirasa TV is an independent channel managed by Maharaja
Broadcasting Corporation. Its newscast may be called
the trend setting local language telecast with 17 news
bulletins daily. Sirasa TV makes a good effort to give
unbiased information to listeners and is an extremely
popular independent television station in Sri Lanka.
It broadcasts mainly in Sinhala, the language used by a
majority of Sri Lankans.
Asoka's career development record is proof of his
potential. He began his media career as a freelance
journalist and joined Maharaja Broadcasting Corporation
for Sirasa radio at a later stage. He was also the
first local news editor at a private sector radio
station in Sri Lanka. Currently, he is the main news
Director for both Sirasa TV and Sirasa radio.


END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF: Public Affairs
SPEAKER?: No
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes
MEDIA?: No
HOME-STAY: Yes
HOME-HOSP?: Yes
E-I-TYPE:
NOMINEE-ID: 126
PERSON-ID: 130
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CE
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CE
RES-CNTRY-ID: CE
FIRST-LANG-ID: SI
E-I-TYPE-ID:
NOM-POST-ID: 2929
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
NOM-STATUS: N
DS2019-ACTION: 0
DS2019-SUBJECT: 09.0701
SPONS-FUNDS: 0
SPONS-AGENCY1:
USGOVT-AGENCY1:
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0
USGOVT-AGENCY2:
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0
INTL-ORG1:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0
INTL-ORG2:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0
COMMISSION: 0
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-CAT: 5
END BIO:
END NOMINATION:
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT:

3. PLEASE ADVISE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS NOMINATION.
CAMP