and the only choice for lunch was the buffet. However, the serene ocean view was worth it. This place will be even more awesome when it is no longer necessary to have a guntower guarding the coast by the pool.
Just outside the gates of the national TV channel Rupavahini is Independence Square. I'll post the pictures so you can enjoy. 
Many thanks to TMG for pulling the van over!
Sri Lanka's national TV channel originates from a sprawling complex under heavy security. Three studios constantly stay busy with programs in both Sinhala and Tamil, and there are plans to launch a new English language channel in HD. My guide for this adventure was a participant in my workshop, director TMG Chandrasekara. I couldn't have asked for a better guide. I was very impressed with the professional quality of the studio work. I was there during the morning shows which are focused on women, but the entire place is more like a production center for everything from drama to youth programs.
There is even an outdoor studio under a massive tree.
We discussed ways to strengthen this work and prepare for the age of multimedia by making television news more viewer friendly and interactive.
Of course, as a national channel, Rupavahini has a responsibility to broadcast government information, so it is not as unrestricted as private channels may be. But I was very encouraged by meeting the CEO, Karu Paranawithana. He reflected the feeling in this country that it is time to move forward with media, and everything else. I would be honored to be part of it and I hope that the conversation will continue. Many thanks to TMG, Vijaya and all the others who asked such great questions. Please friend me on facebook!
Meet the new news presenter for the English bulletin on the Sri Lankan national channel Rupavahini. Don't I wish! Stay tuned for more on my visit to the newsroom.
A fascinating day with some outstanding TV and PR professionals in Colombo. I was invited to present a one-day workshop on "Managing TV News in a Post Conflict Environment." Now that the conflict with the LTTE rebels is officially over, the question is... what next? How do you find a story when the bombs, tanks and guns aren't exploding right in front of you?
Our discussion of enterprise stories was fascinating. The group divided into teams to propose story ideas using Crisis Conflict Resoultion and value to the viewer as criteria. Two teams explored the possibility of tourism expanding in Sri Lanka now that the war is over. 
The third team was comprised of veteran war journalists who came up with an idea about a farmer who received a presidential award for a plan to combat rat infestations in the rice harvest. Only problem was... they made it up. 
Oh well, it was just a theoretical exercise and maybe I wasn't clear that they had to pitch a story that could actually be done. These correspondents have awesome experience in a country where journalists face a lot of difficulties.
I learned as much or more from them as I hope they did from me. The lunch of typical local street food was a culinary experience. 
My thanks to everyone at the US embassy, especially Jeff Anderson and Glen Davis, who made it a success. Also my thanks to Hilmy, who worked with my team on the Think Nation campaign in Maldives and now works in the communications office for Maldivian President Nasheed, for taking his valuable time to attend and contribute. 
Getting around Colombo has turned out to be more of a challenge than I expected. The hotel limo drivers are courteous but expensive! Metered taxis are cheaper but less plush and have to be called to your location, so there is some waiting time involved. Either way, it's a wild ride past everything from stately buildings to humble tin shacks, with plenty of people and animals lining the roads and every possible kind of vehicle jostling for position. It's amazing there aren't more collisions!
Next stop was the American Center, where busts of Lincoln and Ben Franklin preside over the reading room.
Today I ventured out in a taxi to the suburbs of Colombo to visit an innovative production house called Young Asia Television. 
The mound you see behind me is actually the mound in which their studio is built. Now that's what I call soundproofing! It's an eco-friendly design by a Norwegian architect and the whole operation reflects a relaxed and progressive attitude. 
Teams for various programs work together in collaborative "islands." The editing rooms were busy with producers, photogs, editors and presenters collaborating on stories that reflect this country's diversity. The programs are aired on various TV and radio channels and on youtube. 
The full array of Sri Lankan television has outlets that reflect different parts of the political spectrum and this is just one of them. I look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the media landscape when I meet more TV journalists at the workshop tomorrow.
My host at Young Asia, Jerome Sena, has assisted media trainers from the BBC and other organizations and he introduced me to capable editorial director, Sharmini Boyle, who generously shared her time and her insights. Thanks to both of you and your capable staff members for sharing your perspectives with me.
After the ordeal of this leg of the trip from India with no sleep and little food for almost two days, I was overwhelmed by the welcome I received at the Hilton. The room seems huge after the tiny apartment in London. The view is spectacular... so take a look. I can see the old town, the port and the old parliament building.
Fascinating country, charming people. After a few hours here on total jet lag I hope my first visit to this amazing place won't be my last.
My seat mate, Langan, is a Sri Lankan national who now lives in the UK under British citizenship. He comes back here for the winter. Super guy, who just couldn't say enough good things about his country despite the troubles here over the past decades.
next to Hindu temples... 
next to sacred cows (look closely under the tree... this was one of many along the main highway from the airport)...
next to sleeping dogs in the street while three-wheeled tuk-tuks zoom by.
High security everywhere for understandable reasons.I ventured out to the World Trade Center to change money (I now have 113,500 rupees... about $100) and bought a simcard for my phone. Ready to catch a nap before the serious sightseeing begins tomorrow.
The talk of the town is the US insider trading scandal involving a Sri Lankan investor who was heavily playing the stock market here and allegedly supporting the Tamils. Read more at this link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091018/ts_afp/srilankausjusticemarketsfraud_20091018023214
After six hours in lockdown and then two more in an awful public waiting area, I got a break when the SriLankan Airlines flight left early. You can get some idea of the signage... my flight is the middle one.
I got a tiny glimpse of Chennai (formerly known as Madras) that looked like this. 
A young gentleman from Sri Lankan Airlines ushered me through security where they gave me the full treatment... patting down, scanning, opening my carry-on bag because they didn't like the looks of my Terry Anzur coaching services promotional pens. Then the security guy called the agent back because my boarding pass didn't say "transit," so they wrote it on there with a pen and that was it. Here's hoping I can come back to India someday under better circumstances.
Kicker to the story: when my checked bag arrived in Colombo it was entirely covered with shrink wrap and crushed! I don't know who wrapped it and why, and maybe they were trying to do me a favor since the bag wasn't locked during all those hours in limbo. It also had a tag that said "Mishandled baggage." No kidding!
There's nowhere to change money, I can't use the Sri Lankan airlines lounge because I have an economy ticket, British Airways hasn't offered me use of their lounge, but there's at least wifi in my empty waiting room and a very friendly mosquito trying to bite me and tell all his friends about the tasty American transit passenger. A helpful British Airways agent named Aditi has walked off with my passport and assures me I will soon hear from a Sri Lankan agent who will rescue my bag, return my passport and print my boarding pass. I know I'm in India because of the Hindu decorations in the hallways, but I'll be very glad when I'm reunited with my bag in Sri Lanka! 
After a full day of sleeping-in at the Vancouver studios, I woke up in time to find out I couldn't check in online for my India flight... it wanted my passport information, but wouldn't let me put it into the system. After two hours of struggling with the web site, a call to British Airways "web help" fixed the problem.
On my last night in London I wanted a real pub experience and met up with my friend Judith Evans, who did a stellar job covering the Maldives election last year for Minivan news and is now with the Times of London. She just returned from a trip to Yemen, and wrote heartbreaking stories about displaced persons there. I appreciated her insights on how the Maldives media is evolving under the new government. We headed for a pub called "The Cow," known for good food, but it was closed, so we stumbled upon another excellent place, "The Prince Bonaparte." I washed down my goat cheese appetizer and my zuccini tarte main course with a proper pint of delicious Cornwall ale. the place was buzzing with interesting people and conversation. The food was excellent! 
Apparently the English are sensitive to their reputation for lousy food and celebrity chefs are all the rage. I'll hope to investigate this more on my next trip!
