I saw the news that U.S.-based Poynter Institute Launches ?NewsU Turkiye? Program for Journalism with Medya Derneği in Turkey.
Their press meeting will be in 2 days. In the old days I had cooperated with Medya Derneği despite his intense affiliations pro-government media circles. However, after Gezi Resistance, I came to conclusion that this association is just another NGO to justify Turkey’s increasingly authoritarian Erdoğan Regime.
Let me underline that, all those working in the association are good people. I have had no personal problems and they are all successful people in their individual tracks. However, as an association, Medya Derneği functions to ignore heavy pressure and government interference on media.
The association claims that they are specialized in training programs and are not interested in politics. This level of naivete might be enough not to work with them. But still this is beyond naivete. This media association did not issue a single press release on violations against journalists during Gezi resistance, but issued one when Gezi protesters protested a pro-AKP TV channel. ON THE OTHER HAND it had released 3 releases on Turkish journalists’ issues in Egypt. IGNORING HUNDREDS in Turkey.
Ponyter people can also discuss what the Association understand as “hate speech” and they might get in return a tirade on islamophobia.
Poynter people can have a look at the institutional membership of Medya Derneği and see the pattern. All AKP media is there…
Poynter people can also look at the deeds of Medya Derneği President’s president. His cartoons are predominantly about making fun of opposition in Turkey, sometimes at a level of disgrace, continous eulogy for AKP…
Well, I guess, an Institute that excels on journalism should be aware of these facts. Then I guess this is a conscious decision. Some sublime intentions might be there… And I hope some journalists will benefit from the program anyways….