SLBC’s Muslim Service engages new artistes after three decades

Text and pictures by PRIYAN DE SILVA

The Muslim Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) conducted a three-day workshop at its training department titled ‘Story, Dialogue and Characters – Exploring Radio Drama’ to rejuvenate the service by engaging aspiring of artistes from the present generation.

Of the 154 applications received and interviewed 33 applicants (20 females and 13 males) had been selected and invited to attend the final three-day workshop which commenced last Monday (13).

M.J.F. Rinoosiya, the first female head of SLBC’s Muslim Service said that it is on air from 8AM to 11:30AM and again between 8PM and 9PM and is extremely popular among the Muslim community in Sri Lanka and added that “the responses we receive from around the country is proof of its popularity”

She said that at present there was a dearth of youthful voices as it was over three decades ago that the Muslim Service last engaged artistes.

SLBC’s Director Training Lalani Wickramaraja said that the Muslim Service was one of the most profitable services of SLBC and added that the audience changed her view that males dominated the Muslim society.

The workshop was facilitated by SCOPE (Strengthening Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka) together with the European Union, Deutsche Zusammenarbeit (German Cooperation) and Deutsche Gesellschaft fùr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Gmbh.

Media Development Specialist and Director of the Foundation for Advancing Critical Thinking in South Asia (FACTS) Dr. M.C. Rasmin conducted the workshop while Advisor Arts and Communication of the SCOPE project A.C.M Mahir and   Executive Director of CaFFE Manas Makeen attended the inaugural session.