WHO ARE WE?

Democracy for Media/ Media for Democracy

Created by the Association of Journalists in January 2019 with the funding of the European Union (EU) to strengthen pluralist media and free press as a safe guard for democracy, the project will continue until March 2022. 

The overall objective of the project​: To strengthen pluralist media and free press in Turkey as a safe guard for democracy. 

Specific objectives of the project: The first objective is to provide a basis for increased support and awareness by the public for a pluralist and free media; the second objective is to create a safe space for journalists to increase their solidarity.

The activities carried out as part of the project are as follows:

As part of the project, annual Press Freedom Monitoring Reports and quarterly Monitoring of Media Environment Reports are published. These reports are distributed to universities, media organizations, government agencies, all relevant civil society organizations, the European Commission, embassies of EU countries in Turkey, and journalists.

Evaluation meetings are held across Turkey to improve data gathering and information networks in terms of civil monitoring. The meetings help to combine existing networks, increase opportunities for cooperation, expand the capacity for observation, and provide valuable opportunities for local media NGOs and journalists to exchange views on national and international issues. The meetings also provide content for reports on Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Expression.

Based on the findings of the annual civil monitoring reports written within the scope of the project and on the evaluation documents published in the annual conferences, regular visits to state institutions in Ankara are conducted in order to improve the media environment and lobbying for the freedom of expression.

In terms of conducting international advocacy activities, reports are shared with and visits are made to the European Union, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and related non-governmental organizations.

A national conference is held at the end of each year of the project; conferences are open to sector representatives, journalists, academicians, journalism students, beneficiaries of support projects, and the participants are be chosen through direct invitations and open invitations.

Each year a journalist who has made long-term contributions, or has devoted themselves to the freedom of expression and the media in Turkey, to celebrate their success story, is awarded a “Profession of Journalism Honor Award”. 

A Press House has been established in the Association of Journalists. This Press House includes a common study area where the project target group can come together and benefit from computers, software and expertise support, and also a studio and a meeting room.

A series of capacity building trainings are given to journalists in the Press House.

Local trainings are organized to strengthen the capacity of journalists in cooperation with non-governmental organizations operating in the media field. These local trainings are provided in cooperation with the local journalist societies in which the Journalists Association is involved.Journalists' meetings are held on a weekly basis in the Press House to provide journalists in the sector a platform to form solidarity, to create networks and enable sharing.