Nature of media in Turkey
2. Nature of media in Turkey
In order to investigate the process by which journalists evaluate the newsworthiness of environmental problems, one must have a look at the media structure in Turkey, because the structural characteristics of media have an impact on the process of news production by journalists. The subject of environment also influences the process of news production in the level of media-politics relations and media-advertiser relations because, by its nature, it has many characteristics that concern both the private sector and government. It is for this reason that the media structure of Turkey needs to be analyzed. The media sector in Turkey is predominantly in the power of large capital groups (Kaya, 2009) (see Table 1). Do ğan Group, Çalık Group, Çukurova Group, Ciner Group and Do ğuş Group are examples of these capital groups. These groups have investments not only in the field of media but also in other sectors. Do ğan Group carries on business in the fields of industry and commerce other than the fields of energy distribution, finance and media (Do ğan Holding, 2009). Çalık Holding operates in the fields of construction, energy, textile, finance, telecom and media (Çalık Holding, 2009). The main business fields of the Çukurova Group are industry, construction, communication and informatics technology, media, transportation services, commerce, financial services and energy (Çukurova Group, 2009). Ciner Group works in the fields of energy and mining, media, commerce, industry and service (Ciner Group, 2009). Do ğuş Group has business in the fields of banking, finance, media, construction, automotive, tourism and real estate (Do ğuş Holding, 2009). Within the frame of these ownership structures, the following assignations describe the basic characteristics of the communication environment in Turkey (Konrad Adenauer Foundation, 2002):
(1) Formation of a government-dependent type of journalist as a result of top-down and state-sanctioned development practice; (2) As has gained speed since the 1990s, a horizontal, perpendicular and diagonal monopolization and a
From local to global: Can local journalism be a new approach to environmental awareness?
resulting support for the status quo that is strengthened with by over-sensitivy to economic instability and the political fluctuations as a consequence of frequent change of governments;
(3) Existence of barriers hindering the freedom of thought and expression and journalists unable to act independently because of non-unionization in the sector. This is confirmed by a report published by Reporters Sans Frontières. According to the report, Turkey’s rank for freedom of the press between September 2008 and August 2009 decreased 20 steps at once from 103rd to 123rd (Milliyet, 2009);
(4) Media dependency on political/economic/governmental centers, and their increasing desire to control media directly or indirectly as a result of the political and economic instabilities and the proliferation of access to media; (5) The competition in the media sector developing a political identity due to the clarification of interest differentiation among the economic/political/governmental centers.
Table 1 Media ownership in Turkey
Corporation TV Press Radio Other Kanal D, Star,
Hürriyet, Milliyet, Posta, Radikal, PC,
Do ğan Group CNN Türk TNT
Do ğan Online Çalık Group Sabah, Takvim, Pas Fotomaç, Para,
Radyo D, Slow Türk,
Vatan, Elle Ekonomist, Capital, Tempo, Atlas, Elele, Blue Jean, etc.
CNN Türk Radyo
(Turkuvaz) Atv
Aktüel, Şamdan Plus, Bebeğim ve Biz,
Radyo City
Merkez Da ğıtım
Forbes, Sinema, Homeart, etc.
Çukurova Group Show TV,
Ak şam, Güneş, Tercüman, Platin, Maxim, Alem FM, Lig Radyo
Digitürk
SKY Türk
Alem, AutoCar, etc.
Kanal 1,
Habertürk*, Marie Clare, FHM,
Ciner Group Haber Türk
Seventeen, Rolling Stone, Empire,
Haber Türk Radyo
habertürk.com
M.C.Maison, Super PC, etc.
ğuş Group ntvmsnbc.com, NTV Spor, CNBC-e
NTV, E2,
National Geographic, CNBC-e Dergi,
NTV Radyo, N101,
Do NBATV KralTV,
CNBC-e Business, Evo, F1 Racing,
RadyoEksen, Radyo
BillBoard, Motor Boat, etc.
Billboard,Capital, Virgin ntvspor.net
TGRT Haber, İhlas Group Türkiye, Türkiye Çocuk, Yemek Zevki, TGRT Pazarlama
Automotive Export, Furniture Export, etc. TGRT FM
İHA
STV, Samanyolu-Zaman MeltemT Samanyolu Zaman, Todays Zaman, Aksiyon, Ya ğmur, Burç FM, Dünya Radyo, Haber, s Haber Radyo Cihan Ajans
Sızıntı, Yonca, etc.
Yumurcak TV
haber7.com,
Yeni Dünya Kanal 7, Ülke TV, İletişim rotahaber.com, Kanal 7 int
Radyo 7, İstanbul’un Sesi
tumspor.com, newstime7.com
Dünya Online, Dünya Group
Dünya, Gentleman, PC World, BYTE
Dünya Süper Da ğ
Radyo Spor, Radyo
Saran Group History Channel
Time, RadyoPink, RadyoTatlıses
Albayrak Group TV NET
yenisafakonline Avrupa Amerikan
Yeni Şafak
Cine 5, Gala TV, Viva
Radyo 5, Radyo Viva,
Holding TV, Supersport
Radyo Nostaji ve Show Radyo
Koza İpek Holding Kanaltürk
Bugün Gazetesi
Property International
Kanal 24
Star gazetesi
Source: Kaya, 2009.
As a consequence of these, we meet in Turkey an interventionist media practice that self-servingly wants to make impacts on the dynamics of economic/political development in the extent that its differentiated economic
From local to global: Can local journalism be a new approach to environmental awareness?
interests clash with the differentiated political interests (Konrad Adenauer Foundation, 2002). The Ministry of Labor and Social Security have reported that 15,762 people work in journalism sector No. 27 and that 4,550 of them are Journalist’ Union of Turkey (TGS) members. In an unofficial estimate, the number of those working in the media sector is nearly 40,000 more than doubling the number of insured workers (Üstün, 2009).