The training program "From the Classroom to the News Room" (OHO) held by the IPS Communication Foundation for this year's graduates from Communication Faculties started on Saturday 11 July at the Bilgi University Campus in Istanbul.

26 students and 11 observers from 25 universities in Turkey and Northern Cyprus are participating in the 2010 program from 10-17 July. Journalist and bianet Project Advisor Nadire Mater delivered the opening speech for this year's program.

Responsible journalism training

Looking back on the three preceding OHO organizations in the past years, Mater announced that a total of almost 150 students participated in the training program so far. "The OHO is a process of mutual learning and sharing of experiences".

Mater continued, "We started with the bianet project in 1997 and realized it in practice in 2000. We set out with the question whether it would be possible to open a hole in the concept and practice of the single-centred media. Both the bianet project and the OHO training program which is being held for the fourth time this year were established upon the objectives of responsible journalism and rights journalism. It was our aim to transform the mainstream media, strengthen the local media and to enhance the independent media. It is our request that you will carry the concept of responsible journalism into your professional life", Mater said.

Main topics of the program

The 2010 OHO program comprises the following units: "Pursuits of a new reporting", "Starting journalism", "Personal rights and responsibilities of journalists", "News ethics and the necessity of rights journalism", "Rights organizations and the media" and "Where is the news?"

Sharing experiences with journalists, academics and rights defenders

Renowned journalists, academics and rights advocators will share their experiences with the future journalists and carry out workshops, namely Tuğrul Eryılmaz, Berat Günçıkan, Ali Öz, Işın Eliçin, Devrim Sevimay,Efnan Atmaca, Murat Çelikkan, İrfan Bozan, Gunnar Kohne and Ahmet Tulgar,Murat Nişancıoğlu, Prof. Dr Özden Çankaya, Prof. Dr Sevda Alankuş, Prof. Dr Gülgün Erdoğan Tosun, Prof. Dr Nurçay Türkoğlu, Assoc. Prof. Dr İncilay Cangöz, Assoc. Prof. Dr Sevilay Çelenk, Assoc. Prof. Dr Nilüfer Timisi, Assoc. Prof. Dr Esra Arsan, Fikret İlkiz and Füsun Özbilgen.

Students and graduates from the following universities are participating in the OHO training program: Ankara University, Yaşar University, Istanbul Culture University, Atatürk University, Anatolian University, Mersin University, Yeditepe University, İstanbul Bilgi University, Eastern Mediterranean University, Giresun University, Kadir Has University, Erciyes University, International Cyprus University, Fırat University, Near East University, Kocaeli University, Lefke European University, Izmir Economic University, Galatasaray University, Aegean University, Marmara University, Girne American University, Maltepe University, Gazi University and Istanbul AR-EL University. (ÇT/VK)