A moment of pride for the journalism of authenticity
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 02, 2009 00:00
At the Daily News, we often define our mission in terms of five narratives. For Turkey really is prisoner of just five "stories" in most international coverage: Turks-Kurds, the Armenian tragedy of 1915, honor killings, freedom of expression and, of course, secularism vs. religion. Sure there will be the odd story on Cyprus or the Covered Bazaar. But most of the world gets a diet of news on Turkey restricted to this five-entree news menu.
Which is not to say these five classics are not valid. They are. We spend enormous energy covering them. Readers know that this newspaper has no time or space for propaganda or promotion. But we try to reserve energy to report and reflect the complexity of Turkish society and its environment more authentically than elsewhere. For there are far more than five "stories" that define this vast country.
Yesterday was a case in point. Yes, we wrote about the aftermath of local elections, the winners and the losers with care and detail. Starting from our "Second Front Page," the Economic Review continued its series on the shattered world economy and the G-20 summit that begins today in London. We shared plenty of insight into the looming visit by President Obama.
In the crush of breaking news, however, some readers may have overlooked the Arts & Leisure section, edited by Beril Aktaş, page 10 and 11. On page 10 was a story by Sefa Kaplan on a new documentary film by director Tahsin İşbilen. "Asia MinorÉ Over Again" explores the refuge granted by the Turkish Red Crescent Society during World War II to 60,000 Greek communists escaping Nazi occupation. With Obama coming to town, stories are once again abounding in the international press with phrases like "the historical enmity between Greeks and Turks." Fair enough. But there other narratives within our shared history; this Turkish film, which drew a standing ovation in Athens, is just one.
On the opposite page 11, reporter Vercihan Ziflioğlu critiqued a new novel from Azerbaijan and interviewed the author, Aliekber Aliyev. The fictional tale is of two gay schoolboys, Artush and Zaur. One is Armenian, the other Azeri. Separated by war between their countries, the pair ultimately reunites in Georgia. In the interview, author Aliyev discusses the sad state of human rights in the Caucasus and the challenges of fighting authoritarianism.
With symbolic dates nearing and talk of reconciliation between Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan in the air, again relations between this trio of nations will be refracted through the simplest of prisms. But not here.
Yesterday was a good day in a very challenging week. Forgive our immodesty; tomorrow some omission will surely restore our humility. But meanwhile, please share our moment of pride in the ongoing experiment in the journalism of authenticity.
Yesterday was a case in point. Yes, we wrote about the aftermath of local elections, the winners and the losers with care and detail. Starting from our "Second Front Page," the Economic Review continued its series on the shattered world economy and the G-20 summit that begins today in London. We shared plenty of insight into the looming visit by President Obama.
In the crush of breaking news, however, some readers may have overlooked the Arts & Leisure section, edited by Beril Aktaş, page 10 and 11. On page 10 was a story by Sefa Kaplan on a new documentary film by director Tahsin İşbilen. "Asia MinorÉ Over Again" explores the refuge granted by the Turkish Red Crescent Society during World War II to 60,000 Greek communists escaping Nazi occupation. With Obama coming to town, stories are once again abounding in the international press with phrases like "the historical enmity between Greeks and Turks." Fair enough. But there other narratives within our shared history; this Turkish film, which drew a standing ovation in Athens, is just one.
On the opposite page 11, reporter Vercihan Ziflioğlu critiqued a new novel from Azerbaijan and interviewed the author, Aliekber Aliyev. The fictional tale is of two gay schoolboys, Artush and Zaur. One is Armenian, the other Azeri. Separated by war between their countries, the pair ultimately reunites in Georgia. In the interview, author Aliyev discusses the sad state of human rights in the Caucasus and the challenges of fighting authoritarianism.
With symbolic dates nearing and talk of reconciliation between Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan in the air, again relations between this trio of nations will be refracted through the simplest of prisms. But not here.
Yesterday was a good day in a very challenging week. Forgive our immodesty; tomorrow some omission will surely restore our humility. But meanwhile, please share our moment of pride in the ongoing experiment in the journalism of authenticity.