What better way to introduce a new member of the family of newspapers than in -- a newspaper! Free press and media are a cornerstone of each working democracy. Last week I commented on a funding opportunity for Turkish civil society and suggested that one such project could focus on training future journalists at a regional level with a view to setting up new local newspapers. This week I will continue writing about this issue as a few days ago a very positive development occurred. Let me elaborate.
Didim on the Aegean coast has a large European population, and many Europeans have made it their permanent home. Turkish and fellow European -- particularly British -- citizens live side by side and share much more than the occasional drink. They actually live together in what both sides call their town. Some years ago, the first English language newspaper was published and then a second one. Both were primarily aiming to inform the British community about what is going on in their town in a language they more easily understand. Now only one of them is still in print, in a color edition including a Web version. Yes, there are market forces regulating demand and supply even on a local level! It shows as well that quality and consistency are keys to maintaining a loyal reader base. I always found that while having foreign language local newspapers is surely a very important step in bringing guests and hosts closer together, one ingredient was missing: a local newspaper in the Turkish language for a Turkish audience avoiding one-way information flow.
Jan. 5 shall see the first edition of Mavi Posta, a brand-new weekly regional Turkish language newspaper co-written by Turkish and non-Turkish journalists and columnists. It will become a platform for free expression of thought from both the Turkish and non-Turkish sides so that both can finally really understand each other. There is a huge gap between living together and understanding each other! Now this is only one side of the coin.
I fully comprehend that it is easier to print a second paper as long as you already have one in circulation. Hence, a sister paper can complement your initial publication. What is important now is to pave the way for a more proactive regional press away from tourist spots, where local Turkish citizens would perhaps enjoy a more liberal dose of "homemade," i.e., local news, in particular where such a paper does not yet exist! A close look at the Web site of the Prime Ministry Directorate General of Press and Information reveals that many towns and regions already have their own newspapers, but there is room for improvement. Now, what are the advantages, the costs and the benefits?
Before going into print, a few things must be remembered. It is vital to find out how many potential readers are actually going to buy the new paper and at what cost. A realistic business plan must be written. Your core team of a few full-timers has to be in place. Your freelance staff must be ready to start writing. All that can be achieved through external support. The key to success will be if the person(s) in charge are actually familiar with the region, its people, its issues and its problems. They must understand the fabric of local society, from the headmaster to the supermarket clerk. And from time to time they should write about them! Local newspapers are based on stories and photos. Local newspapers, much more than national broadsheets, form opinions and reflect upon them. They should, of course, not replace the national "gazete" -- newspaper -- but complement it! Coming back to my introductory line in this paragraph, analysis must be carried out to find out how many residents will buy two newspapers per day or week and at what price.
The local press is not only an interesting business model, at the same time, it is a kind of watchdog, helping residents better understand local and regional issues and putting them in context. Turkey has 81 provinces and news happens in all of them. Some news is made there, some is made far away, but they all intertwine.
Regional papers have another huge advantage: They form a platform for nongovernmental and civil society organizations. While it is correct to say that a children's club or animal welfare society in Van or Edirne may not merit national headlines, it certainly matters to locals at either end. The knowledge that a private initiative will be honored with a mention in the local press does not hurt either! Regional papers should not become a substitute for local politicians' public relations machines -- on the contrary they should hold them to account in a fair and always objective manner.
Does consensus building contradict pluralism? I do not think so. Pluralism does not mean unjustly disturbing a national consensus. Pluralism can actually help foster a national consensus, which in many ways seems lacking. A fragmented society is as bad as a monolithic one. I understand regional newspapers more as part of a patchwork that ultimately forms the wider picture, one national picture, that is.
