BY HAKAN GULDAG
DUNYA, Turkey’s first and only daily economy newspaper, is entering its 42nd year today. We are proud to maintain the concept of objective and independent journalism with the support we get from our readers.
In the article he wrote on the 15th anniversary of daily DUNYA, our founder Nezih Demirkent said: “We have considered it our duty to serve the business world without compromising our impartiality since the day we established ourselves as an economy newspaper. In fact, it was not easy at all to survive in the media world. It was very difficult for a publication based on labor power to survive among giant entities. However, we tried to face our problems with a devoted staff. I would like to say that we have succeeded.”
Undoubtedly, we have faced difficulties since then. However, even for a single day, we did not do anything that posed a threat to our belief in principled, ethical, and impartial journalism.
We know that journalism needs to deliver the real “news” and therefore is a public duty and we still adhere strictly to this understanding.
We are living in a time when the media industry has made unfortunate breaches of the ethical boundaries of journalism and published headlines that aim to manipulate. Impartiality is not even questioned anymore.
Specific words and adjectives are used to create bias. Some broadcasting organizations have set a mission for themselves, to support a particular side. Organizations twist the news towards specific viewpoints. One part of the media is trying to demonstrate how terrible everything is, while the other tries to make it seem like there is not a single problem in the country.
Developing technological mechanisms and tools also helps to exclude journalism from the definition of public service. To put it mildly, commercial and political concerns in publishing have taken precedence over professional principles.
Again, we are living in a period in which, ironically, communication is getting stronger. It is now easier and faster to reach the news than ever. However, many of the communication channels are dirty, most of them are defective, and at the same time, they are woven with clear or hidden traps. Almost every message or piece of information needs to be verified. The responsibility of principled and accurate journalism requires careful selection and accurate sub-reading. In such a period, accurate information, accurate news, and objective interpretation are even more important.
All these developments undoubtedly increase the responsibility of daily DUNYA. We believe that the main function of the media is to reflect reality, like a mirror. We must provide accurate information so that people can take the right steps and make the right decisions for their future.
Of course, daily DUNYA is also a commercial establishment. However, this fact does not prevent us from conducting principled, ethical, and independent journalism under all circumstances. The only authority we depend on is our readers. With the support we get from you, we embrace our professional principles and try to fulfill our responsibilities duly. Even though we have our obstacles, we resist the deformation of our professional principles; we do not resent or get offended. On the contrary, we continue on our way with a team that has become stronger and more devoted because of our collective structure and understanding.
We know that the business world will not support a publication whose news and comments it does not trust. This would not be sustainable even if it does for one reason or another. We tirelessly explain that being successful commercially can only be achieved by publishing in accordance with the principles and rules of journalism. We trust our journalism and our team. We believe that when teamwork is dominant in a publication, the probability of commercial and professional success increases.
We are independent and impartial for these reasons. Daily DUNYA is a publication independent of public and private sector organizations. We are equidistant from all actors in the economy. Daily DUNYA readers make up the most dynamic and entrepreneurial segment of Turkey. We consider it our duty to meet the information needs that will contribute to their work, and try to contribute to their understanding of what is going on. As the 41-year-old Daily Dunya family, we are determined to continue presenting the facts of the economy today and tomorrow as we did yesterday.
“You created daily DUNYA, we are trying to keep it alive. You encouraged it, we made it work. We were not afraid of correct information, we were not crushed under the presence of big media groups and fought with our own beliefs. We will continue to walk on the same path from now on. We have a team of believers. We owe all of you a debt of gratitude,” Demirkent said.
We will continue to stay on the side of journalism. Our readers’ support for principled and impartial journalism will continue to be daily DUNYA’s greatest strength, capital, and breath.
Many happy returns.
