BÝA, Turkey
Oct 27 2006
World Independent Media in Istanbul
Academics, journalists and students aspiring for an independent media
are coming together in Istanbul on Nov. 4-5. Participants including
Ramonet, Castellanos, Tageszeitung’s Mika and TeleSUR’s Aharonian are
to discuss the possibilities of "another media"
BIA News Center
27/10/2006 Tolga KORKUT
BÝA (Istanbul) – Academics, activists and students producing
democratic and independent communication alternatives in the world
and in Turkey are coming together in Istanbul on November 4-5 saying
"another communication is possible".
The Istanbul International Independent Media Forum will bring
together the experiences of various media organizations and
individuals from around the world, some of them "an adventure on
their own" such as Acik Radio, World Association of Community
Broadcasters (AMARC), bianet, Birgun, Deepdish TV, El Cezire,
Evrensel, Il Manifesto, Inter Press Service, OurMedia, Tageszeitung,
TeleSur, Evrensel, Express, Ulkede Ozgur Gundem, Ozgur Radio ve KAOS
GL.
IPS Communication Foundation Secretary General and BIA2 Coordinator
Ertugrul Kurkcu sums up the Forum effort saying:
"Humanity is so lucky that it is not confined to only a single
alternative in communication. Bringing together small efforts and
means, opening windows and doors to people to exchange and make sense
out of their experiences, the independent media will show how another
communication is possible".
Approximately 200 participants that are working for another media
will come together at the Dolapdere campus of the Istanbul Bilgi
University where, following the two-day Forum, one or more manifests
are expected to be prepared and issued.
These text(s), that are expected to be a resource for future work of
similar nature, are then to be approved at the closing forum on
November 5.
The organizers committee proposes two manifests before the Forum:
* An appeal for action and monitoring for the Mass Media
* An appeal for action and monitoring for Another Media
The Forum is to be launched by speeches delivered by Le Monde
Diplomatique newspaper editor-in-chief Ignacio Ramonet’nin and IPS
General Director Mario Lubetkin’in .
The first day sees two panels taking place in the Forum: "New Global
Mainstream Media Environment Limits and Challenges" and "Independent
Media Environment and Prospects for non-Mainstream".
The panel on the second day, meanwhile, focuses on communication
education: "Education for Communication: Critical or Mainstream?".
The forum is organized under the framework of the "Establishing a
Countrywide Network for Monitoring and Covering for Media Freedom and
Independent Journalism-BÝA²" project jointly by the IPS Communication
Foundation and the Inter Press Service .
Meeting for an open, democratic, transparent and accessible media
The International Independent Media Forum which is open to everyone
has set the following goals:
· Bring together activists, specialists, workers and analysts from
across the globe, who strives for "another media".
· Share experiences in bringing out independent media and analyze
significant practices.
· Help develop more open, democratic, transparent and accessible
media environments.
· Provide and contribute in cooperation among global, regional and
local alternative media networks.
· Encourage individuals and institutions to support independent media
initiatives
· Increase the quality and quantity of independent media practices in
Turkey
Toplumsal Cinsiyet, Baris ve Bagimsiz Medya
Two important group discussions will take part on the second day of
the forum.
"Social Gender and Independent Media" moderated by journalist and
writer Ipek Calislar is to bring together women rights activist and
journalist Angella Castellanos from Colombia, bianet’s Nadire Mater,
Kaos GL’s Ugur Yuksel, Media Monitoring Group’s Dr. Hulya Ugur
Tanriover, Pazartesi magazine’s Beyhan Demir and Ucan Supurge’s Oya
Ozden Saner.
Later, the "Independent Media for Peace" discussion moderated by
Birgun newspaper editor-in-chief Murat Celikkkan is to bring together
Alexander Iskendaryan from the Armenian Caucasus Media Institute,
Acik Radio’s Avi Haligua, bianet’s Erol Onderoglu, Yucel Gokturk,
Merve Erol, Erdir Zat and Siren Idemen from Express, Cyprus Turkish
Union of Press Workers’ Huseyin Yalyali, Georgia Social Researches
Center’s Marina Muskhelishvili, Azerbaijan Zerkalo newspaper’s Murad
Huseynov, Agos’s Nuran Agan, Israel Peace Journalism Center’s Prof.
Dr. Dov Sinar, Rustem Batum, Sevgul Uludag and Cyprus East
Mediterranean University’s Tony Angastiniotis.
Kurkcu refers to the subjects of focus of these two discussions as
"two new fields of news reporting both for Turkey and the world". He
adds, "Debates on reporting for peace and social gender will give us
the opportunity to take into consideration the possibilities and
successes of a media that operates outside of the language, shape and
context that has the lasting marks of male domination, sexism,
racism, nationalism and homophobia".
Local, independent media and civic journalism in Turkey
One of the important events on November 5 is the "Civic, Local and
Alternative Media in Turkey" forum which will bring together
academics and local journalists.
Moderated by journalist Ragip Duran, the forum will start with Dr.
Sevda Alankus’s question "Do the local media and civic media give
opportunities for a pluralism and independence?"
While Dr. Incilay Cangoz discussed local and independent media in the
context of "civic journalism" Coskun Efendioglu from the Milas Onder
newspaper will raise questions on how the media could be local and
independent.
Manavgat Venus Radio’s Dogan Sonmez will look at the issue
approaching journalists as the "human capitals of independence" while
Diyarbakir Gun TV’s Cemal Dogan will share his experiences on news
reporting and broadcasting in a mother-tongue. Mehmet Can Toprak from
the Mersin Radio Ses and Izmir Demokrat Radio’s Nadiye Gurbuz will
explain "local radio broadcasting in metropolitan cities".
"For another communication: Welcome"
Kurkcu ve IPS Communication Foundation Chairwoman Nadire Mater, say
in their invitation to the forum:
"Yes, we had started to shape the dream of the Forum as one that
would bring ‘Another communication is possible’ to daylight. As
Beirut’s Umayma El-Halil and Hani Siblini to Istanbul’s Sema,
skipping from one language to another, give a us a world tour with
their songs, two groups will prepare reports of the forum.
We have two appeals: Appeal for Action and Monitoring of Mass Media /
Appeak for Action and Monitoring of Another Media.
So this is it: A truly enjoyable weekend of questions, answers,
debate, shared experiences. We are waiting; come, let us fume
together, let us rejoice in hope… Our energy and our stubbornness
always say the same thing to us: Another communication is possible.
In that case, on the days of November 4-5, we are meeting at the
Bilgi University Dolapdere campus for the International Independent
Media Forum.
Welcome!" (TK/II/YE)