Turkish women and the media

Did you know that:
• 15% of media managers are women, 85% are men
• 12% of columnists are women, 88% are men
• 11% of guests on political discussion programs on TV are women, 89% are men
• 18% of news sources are women, 82% are men
• 100% of "Page Three Girls" are women, 0% are men
• 0% of editors in chief are women, 100% are men.

A Dutch colleague of mine is asked to speak at the Womens Book Fair in Eskisehir, Turkey. She asked me whether I could update her about the Turkish media landscape and women’s participation in the media. I told her what I already knew from stories of my journalist friends and colleagues in Turkey. To be honest I didn’t have a real positive story for her. I told her how the media is still dominated by men and that we need a completely mentality change to increase women’s participation.

Let’s be honest: “Working in the media” has, for the most Turkish people, a negative connotation. It simply means that you are “exposing” yourself to the world, and the majority of Turkish families simply do not want their girls to be exposed to the world.
This counts not only for the jobs in front of the camera; it also applies for jobs behind the camera. Sometimes I can understand this, since “media" is an intangible concept. If you tell somebody you are a lawyer or a doctor or an engineer, everybody exactly knows what you mean, even they haven’t done it themselves. But since people associate “media” with “glamour,” “magic” and “power,” it’s something people find interesting but also scary and opaque.

What do you do, and how do you do it? For most women (particularly from patriarch and Islamic countries), it’s also less attractive because it requires one to work flexible hours. Media or journalism is not a 9-to-5 job. You have to be on standby constantly, and not every father/brother/husband (or mother!) accepts that — which is probably why you can’t find the equal number of male and female students from communication studies back on the newsroom floor. So that’s something we have to work on: the portrayal of jobs in the media. I can tell, after being there for more than 17 years myself, that it’s one of the, if not THE BEST job in the world.

Here are some statistics of Turkish women’s participation in the media, which are quite depressing since the numbers are significantly higher in European and American media.

30%: participation of Turkish women in the media.
20%: women in managerial positions
33%: women in decision making positions.
(of course the last two numbers apply to the 30% female participation)

Internet usage is more depressing, although its hopeful to know that there is an increasing trend:

In 2005 85% of Turkish women had never used a computer (against 69% of men). Ninety percent of women never used the Internet (male usage: 76%). In 2007: 76% of women never used a computer (58% of men) and 79% of Turkish women had never been on the Internet (against 61% of men).

We can be quite optimistic when we see that there is an increase over two years (there are no recent numbers for 2008 or 2009) but it depresses me when I talk to Turkish colleagues about this development.

From the 1990’s Turkey has known a huge expansion of TV broadcasters. The Internet explosion came worldwide at the end of the 90s. One could expect a huge explosion of employment in media, for both men and women, and because the communication schools are filled equally. So where does it go wrong?

Many Turkish media organizations like the Journalists Federations organize panels, conferences or programs for gender equality in the media — which is good. But they can’t do anything substantial when the government lacks the same commitment. There has to come some kind of action from the government, a series of quotas or a state allocation to fight for this issue. The position of women in the media can only change with their support. But since the reigning government has not any political aspirations as such, the problem will stay there. If the media sector stays in the same hands as now, I don’t forecast any improvements for the short term.


Source: Mediz, TC Basbakanlik Kadinin Statusu Genel Mudurlugu

Violent Extremism

Together with 34 other women from around the globe I was a founding member of SAVE in 2008 in Vienna.

The global SAVE initiative, standing for Sisters Against Violent Extremism, brought women from around the world together in Vienna for a strategy conference from November 28 to December 1st 2008 in order to engage in courageous dialogue about the importance of mobilizing women against violent extremism.

This innovative female powerbase from all walks of life discussed the vital role that women can and will play in rejecting violent extremism, all while building political, religious, and emotional bridges.

With Smart Power and courageous dialogue that transcends borders, the participants- survivors of terrorist attacks, relatives of 9/11, 7/7 and Madrid victims, and community activists from Columbia to Kosovo, Africa to Asia - developed strategies to mobilize against terror and violence.

After 3 days conference each participant of the first SAVE-conference declared:

1. I, as a woman, will use the local and global networks of women to stop the killing.

2. I will inspire a new response to prevent terror, violence and discrimination.

3. I will create awareness for not stigmatizing the families of the extremists/terrorists.

4. I will support the young generation with non-violent alternatives in their search for a better life.

5. I will engage all forms of media for spreading the message of non-violence.

6. I will insist on peaceful resolutions to prevent escalation of conflict and violence.

7. I will promote a global dialogue for a future without fear.

8. I will raise my voice against all hostile states and politics that cause suffering.

9. I recognise the urgency to create ‘SAVE’ spaces for a peaceful coexistence.

10. I will always remember those affected by violent extremism.

Shaista Gohir, one of the founding members of SAVE and whom I met at this conference wrote an op-ed in The Guardian. It's an article on child abuse and child marriage in Muslim countries—difficult subjects to tackle, but well worth discussing. You can read her article here.

And of course, as always, feel free to comment on the articles posted on this blog.

Dear Students,

Are you interested in working in international business or diplomacy but don’t know quite where to start? Are you dedicated to breaking down the boundaries that cultures and traditions have imposed on you? Do you want to learn more about leadership? Would you like to meet other students with similar interests in international issues?

If so, the Osgood Center for International Studies would like to invite you to attend their programs in the Summer. These programs will be a chance for you to hear from leaders and other students about leadership, current international issues, and international business. The Osgood Center runs short-term experiential learning programs in Washington, DC, which provide wonderful opportunities to network with high-profile Washingtonians as well as students and young professionals from all around the world. Your international career starts right here!

International Business Conference (July 18-29, 2010)

The International Business Conference (IBC) is a ten-day exploration of the international political economy. Participants will visit leading international institutions in Washington, DC such as the World Bank, the IMF, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the leading Congressional Committees on trade and international economics. They will address issues in international economics such as the international financial crisis, creeping protectionism, the rise of China and India, and the persistence of poverty in a globalized world.

Summer Symposium on Foreign Policy (August 1-12, 2010)

A two-week course in August, during which students will meet with top level government officials, members of the press, experts from prestigious think tanks such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Brookings Institution to discuss and debate contemporary foreign policy issues.

Please don't hesitate to email me (senay at osgoodcenter dot org) if you have any questions about your application. Hope to see you in D.C.!

Practical information:

Both programs (10-12 days) cost $1500. This includes hotel (Homewood Suites by Hilton), breakfast and many additional meals. We have our sessions at Osgood Center and on site. We go to the World bank, State Department, IMF, Johns Hopkins University, etc. We go, go, go...

Pulitzer Prize

For the first time in history two Web sites have won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. I know this is a big deal since I was the first visiting lecturer who taught a class on Online Publishing at the University of Texas. While internet exists for more than three decades, newspapers have taken their online publications seriously for maybe the last five years. Well, with rewarding two journalistic Web sites, ProPublica and www.sfgate.com, we can conclude that there is no future for newspapers without their online portals.
Of course I knew that already for many years (that's why I started my online magazine) but this is a good sign for all the big newspapers publishers.

With this terrific news, I feel double euphoria.
First is, that, nobody, not a single Journalism University or College, can deny the importance of online content.
Second, (the real reason why I write this blog) is that I had the privilege to work together with the editor of the book, America’s Best Writing: Pulitzer Prize Feature Stories, David Garlock.

Dave, my senior, assembled 25 feature articles and analyzed the quality of the research, reporting and writing of the stories and why they deserved the Prize for Outstanding Journalism. This book 'Pulitzer Prize Feature Stories - America's Best Writing 1979-2003' is a help and an inspiration for writers, both established and upcoming.' And let me note here, as a 'global journalist', that this book is not only for American journalists, but every journalist, worldwide, can learn a lot from it.

It's every journalist's desire to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing professor. Our daily chats in his small office were very valuable for me. In his office where every wall was surrounded with books and magazines we discussed world issues. And I will never forget his profound curiosity and interest in my thoughts but also he wanted to know my opinion about a certain topic in his class. As a 'small fish', for the first time teaching in a Journalism school, I felt very often that I worked together with the 'big catches'.

Some information about Dave:

He has been on the UT faculty for 21 years, teaching a wide variety of magazine writing, reporting and management classes. He is also advisor for the campus magazine, Orange. Before that, he was a Texas-based independent magazine consultant and publisher. He was the vice president and editorial director in New York for Executive Business Media, an international publishing firm, specializing in a wide variety of business-to-business, niche, specialty and targeted consumer magazines. In that job, Dave was editorial director of a hard-news monthly magazine covering the military that frequently uncovered government corruption and mismanagement. Stories he wrote or edited often led to congressional or governmental investigations and some were picked up by the national media, including the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.

While packing to get back to Holland, I decided to take his book (805 pages!) with my hand luggage. True, It was heavy to carry it on during my eighteen hour trip from Austin, via Washington to Amsterdam. But I did not get bored one time, thanks to Dave's thoughtful interviews and insightful comments on the Pulitzer stories, valuable for every journalist.

Thank you, Dave!

Senay appointed as Senior Fellow Osgood Center for International Studies

I have some great news, which I want to share with you.

I have been appointed as senior fellow at the Osgood Center for International Studies in Washington, D.C.. The Osgood Center is a non-profit educational organization that offers short-term foreign policy programs and experiential learning to graduate, college, and high school students from around the globe.

I will be starting this summer at this institute which is the premier foreign policy program in the heart of Washington, D.C.

As you can understand, I am very excited to begin with this new challenge in my career: sharing my views and experiences with new fresh global thinkers and leaders.

One of my main goals will be that I can inspire other girls and women to choose what's best for them and their career. That I can learn them not to think in boundaries and that they have the capacity to become the new female leaders of the world. I want to challenge the participating students to have difficult conversations, to recognize the complexity in each other, to strive for equality and fairness.

In my next blog I'll write some information about The Osgood Center's programs and how to apply. So, please if you know somebody (students of International Business or Diplomacy) who might be interested, don't hesitate to email me at senay at osgoodcenter dot org.

Thank you!

Illusion

My new book got published.

Channel 4 requests an interview.

And somebody puts the New York Times Book Review in my hand.
A review of Leah Hager Cohen who calls it 'excellent work'.

CNN Turk is in my Outlook with very much interest in this 'upcoming' and talented Turkish-Dutch writer.

Even when, in my Miu Miu suit I walk back to my car after the launch party..the phone keeps ringing.

I feel great..this is why I worked so hard; people like my book..

And then...I wake up and see the grey clouds from my bedroom.

I turn around and continue as I don't care.

Isn't everything an illusion?

Beyond Reasonable Doubt; the Srebrenica massacre

Yesterday I posted a blog about a film which dealt with the Chechnyan-Russian war. I saw this movie, together with fifteen other movies as I was one of the five jurymembers of the Rudolf Vrba Award at the Prague Filmfestival in 2006.

The festival was extremely well organized; in the heart of Prague we went from one ancient movietheater to another and saw the most amazing museums of the Eastern European continent. Prague was of course FABULOUS! I had my daily coffee at the Slavia Grand-cafe, a meeting place of artists and intellectuals; where the most famous writers, poets and politicians (including Vaclav Havel) had their debates and discussions but also where they smoked cigarettes and pipes while reading the newspapers.

It was a very intense week. And after this week I decided for my own that it's nice to be asked to become a jurymember, but seeing sixteen movies about human rights violations in four days; discussing and judging them, is highly INTENSE. One of the movies which disturbed me very much, they even had to stop the film because I couldn't take it anymore, was Beyond Reasonable Doubts
about the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It's humanly unworthy to see young men being deported in trucks while they pee in their pants being shot in the back (These images are really shown in this film, so, don't say I did not warn you!).

As tv-news producer of one of the leading news organizations, 2Vandaag, we had hundreds of stories about this topic; every single day when it all happened in 1995. As we all know, Srebrenica was under the protection of Dutch soldiers; Well, it became a black page in Dutch history. As newspeople we saw the ugliest images of war.

Today, the 31st of March, the Serbian parliament passed a landmark resolution condemning the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Bosnian Muslims, I wanted to tell you about this movie. It's not only a black page in Dutch history, it's a black page in everybody's history.

Here is what the film is about:

Post–war Europe made the promise to never again allow one nation or race or any one group of people to attempt to systematically wipe out another. Yet what happened in Yugoslavia was genocide, executed moreover with the United Nations looking on. The author of this documentary film, Mina Vidakovič, returns to the massacre at Srebrenica and records the testimony of those who survived the ordeal. Direct testimony from those who witnessed the Srebrenica massacre right where it happened, is the best evidence against those who committed the crime. General Ratko Mladič or Slobodan Miloševič, who were behind most the war crimes that took place during the work in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are filmed in edited confrontation with the remaining inhabitants of Srebrenica. The director moreover works with video recordings made by members of the military units involved in the massacre. They capture the transport of inhabitants of Srebrenica under the false pretences of fears for their safety, the separation of the men capable of military service from the rest of the inhabitants, and the various methods of the mass murder and concealing the graves. Not all the bodies have been found to date, and that is why it is not even known exactly how many victims there were, which is important in determining the punishment for those convicted. The first minutes of Beyond Reasonable Doubt focuses on the preparation of the Nuremberg laws, followed by the construction of concentration camps, the existence of which some people despite all the evidence continue to doubt. The film by Mina Vidakovič helps refresh Europe's historical memory, so that it does not allow itself to forget any of the genocides of the 20th century.

In remembrance of all that died in this and all other wars..

Sincerely,

Senay Ozdemir