Hi, I’m Nalaka Gunawardene…

Nalaka Gunawardene - photo by Sasha Kralj, Dec 2007

Hi, my name is Nalaka Gunawardene. I’m the Blogger-in-Chief of this blog.

I like to introduce myself as a professional story-teller. A science writer by training, I’ve worked variously as a journalist, film-maker, media researcher, media trainer, communications consultant and TV host during the past 20 years.

Just like media is a plural term, I have multiple affiliations and wear several ‘hats’. In all these, I ‘connect the dots’, find new ways of seeing the world around me, speak my mind — and also have fun.

My ‘day job’ is as the Chief Executive Officer of Television for Education – Asia Pacific, trading as TVE Asia Pacific (TVEAP). It’s a Colombo-anchored, regionally operating social enterprise that produces and distributes educational television and video content on development issues. In this, I work with film-makers, TV journalists as well as educational and civil society users of video: we tell journalistic stories of Asia’s development efforts through moving images. We believe that authentic moving images can move people to change attitudes and lifestyles that are healthier for themselves, their societies and, ultimately, the planet.

Nalaka Gunawardene - photo by Dhara Gunawardene

In my spare time, which is plentiful, I dabble in some freelance writing, TV hosting, media research and conference speaking, both in my native Sri Lanka and elsewhere in Asia. A Google search for my name (mind the spelling: NALAKA GUNAWARDENE) will bring up many of my op ed essays, book reviews and other commentary published online at various high-impact websites and print media outlets.

Among the outlets that I contribute are: AsiaMedia of University of California Los Angeles; Eye on Ethics, edited in Manila; Himal Southasian edited in Kathmandu; Groundviews citizen journalism website edited in Colombo; MediaChannel.org edited in New York; and Media Helping Media hosted from London.

Additionally, at one time or another, I have been interviewed and/or quoted by leading news media organisations in the East and West including (but not limited to) Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, BBC, CNN, the New York Times and Reuters.

Given my ability to ‘connect the dots’ as well as relate the macro with the micro, I’m often invited to serve as a studio guest in various news, current affairs and talk shows on television. I play ‘TV pundit’ on topics as varied as the nexus between technology and society, achieving environmental sustainability and public communication of science. In 2008, I executive produced and part-hosted Sri Lanka 2048, a series of television debates on future choices for a more sustainable Sri Lanka which aired on the country’s most popular TV network. In mid 2009, I started hosting a weekly show on innovation, called Navakam, on the newly launched Siyatha TV channel in Sri Lanka.

Pursuing a life-long passion, I have great fun in being a compiler and presenter of general knowledge quiz shows on television. In my high school years and beyond, I was a ‘quiz kid’ (becoming Sri Lanka’s national youth quiz champion in 1990), so it made perfect sense to evolve into a Quiz Master! My most recent quiz show was HighQ which ran on for six months in 2005-2006.

Nalaka Gunawardene - photo by Janaka Sri Jayalath

Every year, I donate part of my time to serve (in unpaid, honorary capacities) on the Boards of the Science and Development Network (SciDev.Net), anchored in the UK but working globally, and Panos South Asia, anchored in Kathmandu and working across South Asia.

My current interests include:
- understanding how the new media can undermine traditional centres of authority;
- critiquing the ethical sourcing and use of television content from the majority world;
- promoting public discussion and debate through mainstream and new media;
- watching how information and communication technologies (ICTs) are transforming cultures, societies and economies in Asia, where half of humanity lives; and
- studying the potential of new media to communicate development and humanitarian issues.

I have wide and varied interests and I get involved in issues, concerns and pursuits sometimes to earn a living, and at other times for pure fun — or, as I like to say, for kicks and/or bucks. For now, I only get
‘kicks’ from writing and managing this blog; someday, I hope, it will also earn me some useful bucks!

I speak and write English and Sinhala languages (both of which I’m still learning). I’m allergic to legalese, academese and jargon. I like to use lots of images, including cartoons and illustrations, to accompany what I speak or write. I was professionally trained to ask questions, so there’s no such thing as a dumb question in my book.

Speaking of books, the most recent book I co-edited (with Indian journalist Frederick Noronha) was Communicating Disasters: An Asia Pacific Resource Book, which came out in December 2007. Interestingly, it was the last book for which the late Sir Arthur C Clarke wrote a foreword.

A more detailed (though now slightly dated) profile about myself is found here.

I can be reached on email nalaka AT nalaka DOT org

About this blog:
I started blogging in early 2007 so that I can express my own views without being limited by organisational norms. The opinions expressed everywhere in this blog are entirely my own, and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or views of any organisation that I am associated with in a paid or honorary capacity.

This is a moderated blog where I approve/disapprove the publication of readers’ comments to individual posts. I do allow all reasonable comments left by readers — including those that radically disagree with my own views. The basic rules of my moderation: I don’t publish comments that are outright libelous of individuals, or are so explicitly self-promotional bordering on spam.

Since I remain open-minded and eager for new knowledge, my views on some topics and issues keep evolving over time. Although it’s tempting to go back and edit some of my earlier blog posts in the light of new knowledge or understanding, I refrain from doing so. And if that sometimes presents (minor) inconsistencies, I can only quote Walt Whitman in my defence:
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)