followthemedia.com
Sept 13 2009

Turkey Steps Backward

Michael Hedges September 12, 2009 – Follow on Twitter

That all politicians seek to control all media is an undeniable
reality. Imperious politicians seek that control imperiously. Progress
in press freedom remains illusive.

Turkish tax authorities shocked the media world (September 7) with a
TRY 3.76 billion (?¬ 1.74 billion) fine on Turkish broadcaster
and publisher Dogan Media Group. Virtually every media watcher has
spoken out, if at least tangentially, about Turkish PM Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s war footing against opposition media and press freedom.

PM Erdogan faces little political opposition in Turkey. His Islamist
AK Party is firmly in control of the government. A statement from his
office denied involvement in the tax fine; it was the doing of the tax
office. PM Erdogan and Dogan Yayan Holdings CEO Aydin Dogan have been
in a pitched battle since Dogan owned media ` the highly respected
Hurriyet newspaper and two television channels plus CNN Turk `
reported a scandal involving corrupt funding of Islamist
organizations. (See background here) CNN Turk is a joint venture of
Dogan Media and Time Warner.

Business leaders in Turkey are horrified at what appears to be a
punitive ruling. `Everybody in their right mind,’ wrote Vatan
columnist Hikmet Bila (September 11), knows the decision is
politically motivated. "This actual practice gives birth to suspicions
that the tax administration is open to political influence and the
public good is not observed in the exercise of executive power," said
Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association TUSIAD in a
statement. Aydin Dogan’s daughter heads TUSIAD. PM Erdogan’s
son-in-law owns a competing media company.

The ruling, which might cost Dogan Media 80% of its standing value,
was not well received in Europe. Association of Commercial Television
Europe Secretary General Ross Biggam called on the European Commission
(EC) (September 11) to address Mr. Erdogan’s government directly. `Any
country wishing to join the European Union must comply with the
highest European and international standards in the area of media
freedom, including an absolute right for media groups to take a stance
which is critical of government,’ he said in a statement. `This is not
negotiable.’ (See ACT statement here)

Nobody needs absolute mastery of diplomatic language to understand the
degree to which the EC is not happy. Accession may or may not be on
the table for Turkey in the next decade but smooth relations with
Europe are essential. Press freedom may not trump other issues in
European Union relations but can be a nagging concern, raised by
uncomfortable Member States.

`The Commission is very concerned following this new, heavy penalty
imposed on the Dogan press group,’ penned DG Enlargement spokesperson
Amadeu Altafaj Tardio (September 10). `While tax irregularities should
indeed be penalized, one can expect the sentence to remain
proportionate to the alleged offence. But when the sanction is of such
magnitude that it threatens the very existence of an entire press
group, like in this case, then freedom of the press is at stake.

`The Commission had already expressed its concerns following the first
fine. This latest decision is now even more worrying. The Commission
will convey its concerns to the Turkish authorities and obviously also
will take due account of this latest development in the forthcoming
Progress Report to be adopted on 14 October.

`This news comes in sharp contrast with the very encouraging
developments we have witnessed in Turkey over the summer, including on
the Kurdish issue and relations with Armenia, on which we will
obviously report as well in the Progress report.’

There is a rich tradition in Turkey of a vibrant culture of civil
discourse: at times above ground, at times underground. There are also
traditions of repression. The people of Turkey and their leaders are
pulled in many directions. One direction they cannot take is
backwards.

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