World Independent Media in Istanbul

The Istanbul International Independent Media Forum will bring together the experiences of various media organizations and individuals from around the world, some of them "an adventure on their own" such as Acik Radio, World Association of Community Broadcasters (AMARC), bianet, Birgun, Deepdish TV, El Cezire, Evrensel, Il Manifesto, Inter Press Service, OurMedia, Tageszeitung, TeleSur, Evrensel, Express, Ulkede Ozgur Gundem, Ozgur Radio ve KAOS GL.

IPS Communication Foundation Secretary General and BIA2 Coordinator Ertugrul Kurkcu sums up the Forum effort saying:

"Humanity is so lucky that it is not confined to only a single alternative in communication. Bringing together small efforts and means, opening windows and doors to people to exchange and make sense out of their experiences, the independent media will show how another communication is possible".

Approximately 200 participants that are working for another media will come together at the Dolapdere campus of the Istanbul Bilgi University where, following the two-day Forum, one or more manifests are expected to be prepared and issued.

These text(s), that are expected to be a resource for future work of similar nature, are then to be approved at the closing forum on November 5.

The organizers committee proposes two manifests before the Forum:

* An appeal for action and monitoring for the Mass Media

* An appeal for action and monitoring for Another Media

The Forum is to be launched by speeches delivered by Le Monde Diplomatique newspaper editor-in-chief Ignacio Ramonet'nin and IPS General Director Mario Lubetkin'in .

The first day sees two panels taking place in the Forum: "New Global Mainstream Media Environment Limits and Challenges" and "Independent Media Environment and Prospects for non-Mainstream".

The panel on the second day, meanwhile, focuses on communication education: "Education for Communication: Critical or Mainstream?".

The forum is organized under the framework of the "Establishing a Countrywide Network for Monitoring and Covering for Media Freedom and Independent Journalism-BİA²" project jointly by the IPS Communication Foundation and the Inter Press Service .

Meeting for an open, democratic, transparent and accessible media

The International Independent Media Forum which is open to everyone has set the following goals:

· Bring together activists, specialists, workers and analysts from across the globe, who strives for "another media".

· Share experiences in bringing out independent media and analyze significant practices.

· Help develop more open, democratic, transparent and accessible media environments.

· Provide and contribute in cooperation among global, regional and local alternative media networks.

· Encourage individuals and institutions to support independent media initiatives

· Increase the quality and quantity of independent media practices in Turkey

Toplumsal Cinsiyet, Baris ve Bagimsiz Medya

Two important group discussions will take part on the second day of the forum.

"Social Gender and Independent Media" moderated by journalist and writer Ipek Calislar is to bring together women rights activist and journalist Angella Castellanos from Colombia, bianet's Nadire Mater, Kaos GL's Ugur Yuksel, Media Monitoring Group's Dr. Hulya Ugur Tanriover, Pazartesi magazine's Beyhan Demir and Ucan Supurge's Oya Ozden Saner.

Later, the "Independent Media for Peace" discussion moderated by Birgun newspaper editor-in-chief Murat Celikkkan is to bring together Alexander Iskendaryan from the Armenian Caucasus Media Institute, Acik Radio's Avi Haligua, bianet's Erol Onderoglu, Yucel Gokturk, Merve Erol, Erdir Zat and Siren Idemen from Express, Cyprus Turkish Union of Press Workers' Huseyin Yalyali, Georgia Social Researches Center's Marina Muskhelishvili, Azerbaijan Zerkalo newspaper's Murad Huseynov, Agos's Nuran Agan, Israel Peace Journalism Center's Prof. Dr. Dov Sinar, Rustem Batum, Sevgul Uludag and Cyprus East Mediterranean University's Tony Angastiniotis.

Kurkcu refers to the subjects of focus of these two discussions as "two new fields of news reporting both for Turkey and the world". He adds, "Debates on reporting for peace and social gender will give us the opportunity to take into consideration the possibilities and successes of a media that operates outside of the language, shape and context that has the lasting marks of male domination, sexism, racism, nationalism and homophobia".

Local, independent media and civic journalism in Turkey

One of the important events on November 5 is the "Civic, Local and Alternative Media in Turkey" forum which will bring together academics and local journalists.

Moderated by journalist Ragip Duran, the forum will start with Dr. Sevda Alankus's question "Do the local media and civic media give opportunities for a pluralism and independence?"

While Dr. Incilay Cangoz discussed local and independent media in the context of "civic journalism" Coskun Efendioglu from the Milas Onder newspaper will raise questions on how the media could be local and independent.

Manavgat Venus Radio's Dogan Sonmez will look at the issue approaching journalists as the "human capitals of independence" while Diyarbakir Gun TV's Cemal Dogan will share his experiences on news reporting and broadcasting in a mother-tongue. Mehmet Can Toprak from the Mersin Radio Ses and Izmir Demokrat Radio's Nadiye Gurbuz will explain "local radio broadcasting in metropolitan cities".

"For another communication: Welcome"

Kurkcu ve IPS Communication Foundation Chairwoman Nadire Mater, say in their invitation to the forum:

"Yes, we had started to shape the dream of the Forum as one that would bring 'Another communication is possible' to daylight. As Beirut's Umayma El-Halil and Hani Siblini to Istanbul's Sema, skipping from one language to another, give a us a world tour with their songs, two groups will prepare reports of the forum.

We have two appeals: Appeal for Action and Monitoring of Mass Media / Appeak for Action and Monitoring of Another Media.

So this is it: A truly enjoyable weekend of questions, answers, debate, shared experiences. We are waiting; come, let us fume together, let us rejoice in hope... Our energy and our stubbornness always say the same thing to us: Another communication is possible.

In that case, on the days of November 4-5, we are meeting at the Bilgi University Dolapdere campus for the International Independent Media Forum.

Welcome!" (TK/II/YE)