Turkey Dispatches is a special series on press freedom and the realities of practising journalism in today’s Turkey, written by those most directly affected: Turkey-based journalists.

‘We’ve normalized the threats’: bianet editor Evrim Kepenek on online harassment of women journalists in Turkey

As the Republic of Turkey celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, last year also marked a year of investigations, detentions, lawsuits, arrests, violence and self-censorship for Turkey’s journalists. According to data from the International Press Institute (IPI), in 2023, there were more than 300 cases of journalists on trial in Turkey.  At least 37 different […]

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Turkey’s government complains about negative image in the foreign press but won’t take our calls

I’ve been working on stories about migration and refugees for eight years since I moved to Istanbul, and my requests for information from the government have continually been ignored and neglected. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) processes our press visas and work permits every year, giving us foreign reporters freedom and permission to […]

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Turkish Media’s Approach to Constructive Journalism: Rights-based peace journalism

Peace journalism is one of the constructive ways to approach news. In the early 2000s in Turkey and Northern Cyprus, some journalists began to integrate this approach into their work. Journalists Sevgül Uludağ and Tony Angostiniadis were among those journalists who embraced peace journalism in their reporting. At present, independent news outlet bianet applies the […]

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Online violence targeting women journalists and responses from the news organizations: Current methods and needs

The increase in the use of social media on a global scale continues to change and transform our relationship with the news. While local, national, and international news organizations continue to operate into new social media platforms/tools gradually, journalists at the same time are building different news flows for their audiences through their own social […]

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Podcast Journalism in Turkey: Who Should Do It? Why Won’t They Do It?

“Who is Turkey’s foremost journalist?” Although we don’t have a common answer to this question, when we encounter it, several names quickly spring to mind, shaped by our considerations across diverse criteria. Similarly, when posed with the inquiry about the preeminent journalist in utilizing social media or maintaining an influential YouTube channel, we may come […]

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