Journal of Media Business Studies· 2026Q2
The critical political economy of media and investigative journalism during Sri Lanka’s 2022 mass protests
- 0citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Investigative journalism effectiveness during Sri Lanka's 2022 mass protests was significantly hampered by perceived life threats, legal challenges, and government pressure, according to survey data from 200 journalists.
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Key points
- Government pressure, legal intimidation, and life threats negatively impact investigative journalism effectiveness.
- External pressures increase media ownership control and reduce journalists' ethical commitment.
- These factors indirectly diminish the overall impact of investigative journalism.
- Government pressure was the most significant factor, highlighting state-media entanglement.
- Findings empirically support Critical Political Economy of Media framework regarding restricted journalistic autonomy.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
This study examines how perceived life threats, legal challenges, and government pressure shape the effectiveness of investigative journalism during the 2022 mass protests in Sri Lanka. Grounded in the Critical Political Economy of Media framework, survey data from 200 journalists were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The findings reveal statistically significant negative direct effects of government pressure, legal intimidation, and life threats on the perceived effectiveness of investigative journalism. External pressures heighten ownership control while reducing journalists’ ethical commitment, both of which indirectly diminish journalism’s impact. Government pressure emerged as the most influential determinant, reflecting the deep entanglement between state power and media institutions. These results empirically affirm the mechanisms proposed by the Critical Political Economy of Media, showing how structural and institutional dominance restricts journalistic autonomy even in democratic settings.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Media Business Studies, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Communication
CommunicationSocial Sciences