EMU Communication and Media Studies Faculty Hosted Famous Internet Journalists

Eastern Mediterranean University Communication and Media Studies Faculty hosted important internet journalists in a talk event entitled “Online Journalism” taking place under the moderatorship of experienced journalist Zeynel Lüle. T24 online newspaper’s Editor in Chief Doğan Akın, Cumhuriyet Daily online version’s Editor in Chief Oğuz Güven and Diken.com.tr online news site’s Editor in Chief and EMU Communication and Media Studies Faculty’s academic staff member Erdal Güven discussed various aspects of internet journalism during the event.

The first speaker in the panel Oğuz Güven stated that there is no such thing as internet journalism since journalism is journalism. Güven stressed the fact that internet journalism creates possibilities for rapid news share as well as an interactive relationship with the reader. Güven  said “Think of a news item about an accident. Internet enables us to share the news and photos through twitter. Almost everyone has a mobile phone and they share the news rapidly.”

Güven added that internet journalism is a non-stop process which requires the journalist to work 24/7. Güven also put forth that there is still some resistance towards internet journalism in newspaper’s script writing units.

After Güven, T24’s Editor in Chief Doğan Akın stated that we are at the end of the digital beginning. Akın added that journalists perceive journalism as a costly job which should be supported by investors. Akın stated that this could be overcome through internet. Putting forth that if there was no internet, there would be no room for competition, Akın  said that ‘for the first time, we believe that independent journalism may be institutitionalised in Turkey’.  Akın added that the most important distinguishing quality of journalism is being interesting but the pursuit for being interesting cannot be fulfilled properly.

Diken.com.tr internet site’s Editor in Chief and Eastern Mediterranean University Faculty of Communication and Media Studies academic staff member Erdal Güven stated that he is living the second spring in his profession since they have the independence to express themselves freely on the internet. Güven also added that in internet journalism the relationship between speed and quality is reverse as rapidly published news items lack quality.

Credit: EMU