MEDIA-POLITICS-POLITICAL POWER RELATIONSHIP IS DISCUSSED AT IUE

17 MARCH 2009

IUE Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Cemali Dinçer made the opening speech of the panel that took palce in İzmir University of Economics Conference Hall and said that the historical adventure of the media-politics-political power relation would help us to understand the conditions today. IUE Dean of Faculty of Communication Sevda Alankuş stated that the panel that drew interest would continue. ILAD President Hıfzı Topuz underlined that fact that the relation of media-politics-political power which reminded the conditions today, was initiated in Democratic Party time and said “The media, printed press of that day put Adnan Menderes into power. The intellectuals that were fed up with the pressure in single-party process supported Menderes for more freedom and democracy. Menderes came to power. In first years, the support continued, many laws were introduced that related media. Industrial union was established. However, in 1954s the wind had changed. Menderes forced the bosses. But this did not cover the employees. Many bans were introduced one after another. They went further after September 6-7 incidents. The result is March 27. Of course, we do not want to experience these again. To sum up, it was the media that put Adnan Menderes into power but it was again the media that take him from power or that took him to that process.”

Galatasaray University Dean of Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Özden Çankaya presented a paper on “The Restrictions Imposed to the Freedom of Expression by Legal Arrangements”. Prof. Dr. Çankaya stated that although the Freedom of Expression was guaranteed by the Constitution, more over, although the state was assigned to protect this freedom it was not the case in application and said, “The political powers sometimes act to use the freedom in the constitution for their own benefit and limited the Criminal Law and other laws. Especially, the wide concepts are used as an element of oppression. They worked to create their own advocates."

Arel University Dean of Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Aysel Aziz revealed the process in this field with her presentation entitled “Public Service Publishing and Political Power Relation”. She said, “In that period, radio was realized as a big power in that process and it was aimed to be used for the public weal. However, in application, this was accomplished for a short period. Most of it was used for the sake of the political power. This did not change much after the establishment of TRT. The private televisions brought freedom but their work in the name of the public was on their own intended level."

Kocaeli University Dean of Faculty of Communication Prof. Dr. Hülya Yengin opened a new window to a different side of the media with her presentation “Tabloidization in Media Politics Relations”. She said, “The news that started with the hat of Demirel and flat cap of Ecevit, dealt with even the family relations of Özal. Later, we are familiarized with this kind of news with back-page girls. Media opened a new dimension to its relations with politics with this news. This gained importance with the globalizations of the communication. We experienced this in the elections in the USA. We saw the news about the wife and children of Obama. The first dance, the first kiss, the first present, etc. The USA used its leader with this kind of news to regain sympathy in the world."