Free Media Movement

The Free Media Movement (FMM) is a media freedom watchdog organization of journalists from Sri Lanka.

It evolved out of the standing committee of journalists, which was formed in late 1991. The standing committee was formed by a group of journalists and media personnel as a reaction to the then government of Sri Lanka introducing a Media Commission.{{cite news | url= http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/23236/ | title= Free Media Movement | date= 2007-06-20 | publisher= IFEX | accessdate= 2007-06-20 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070214053412/http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/23236/ | archive-date= 2007-02-14 | url-status= dead }}

Since then FMM has been active in all areas relating to media freedom, defending the rights of journalists and media people. It also has called for reform of legislation,{{cite news | url = http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/tsunami/article.asp?parentid=19345/ | title = Media group urges laws to permit access to information | date = 2007-06-20 | publisher = Asian Media | accessdate = 2007-06-20 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} agitating against censorship and intimidation of media personnel and standing for broad principles of democratic and human rights.{{cite news|url=http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2003statement/81/| title= SRI LANKA: The Judiciary and Human Rights| date= 2007-06-20 | publisher = Asian Human Rights Commission | accessdate = 2007-06-20 }}{{cite news|url=https://www.hrw.org/wr2k/Asia-08.htm/ |title=Human Rights Development in Sri Lanka |date=2007-06-20 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |accessdate=2007-06-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070617054544/http://www.hrw.org//wr2k/Asia-08.htm |archivedate=June 17, 2007 }}

It also has developed an extensive network of links with other media freedom and human rights groups locally and internationally.{{cite news|url=http://www.peacebrigades.org/lanka/slp9502.html |title=Interview with Sunandra Deshapriya of the Free Media Movement |date=2007-06-20 |publisher=Peace Brigades |accessdate=2007-06-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070207003211/http://www.peacebrigades.org/lanka/slp9502.html |archivedate=February 7, 2007 }}

The Sri Lankan defense ministry alleged that FMM is a controversial{{cite news | url= http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080523_09 | title= Police probe into alleged assault on journalist | date= 2008-05-23 | publisher= The official web site of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order of Sri Lanka | accessdate= 2008-05-23 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120217095949/http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080523_09 | archive-date= 2012-02-17 | url-status= dead }} organization. It has been accused of unprofessionalism{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}} and partiality.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}}