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MINORITY NEWSPAPERS STRUGGLE
BIAnet.org
Aug 23, 2011
Turkey
The Press Advertising Association finished its work to address
the problems of minority newspapers. A total of TL 250,000 will be
allocated to six minority papers. However, in order to give formal
advertising, regulations have to be changed.
Istanbul - BÄ°A News Center23 August 2011, Tuesday The Press
Advertising Association took minority newspapers on its agenda after
the news had spread that the Greek newspaper Apoyevmatini was going
to shut down. Apoyevmatini has been published in Istanbul for 86 years.
Now the results of the association's meetings on aid for minority
newspapers were announced.
The Press Advertising Association was established as a tool for
the publication of formal advertising of public institutions and
organizations.
The proposal for support by the association for newspapers published
by the Armenian, Greek and Jewish societies in Turkey was accepted. It
was indicated that the most effective support for minority newspapers
was the publication of formal advertising. However, the association
emphasized that there were legal obstacles before this. First of all,
Decision No.67 of the General Assembly related to formal advertising
would have to undergo necessary changes, the association concluded.
The Press Advertising Association decided for financial help for the
minority newspapers "until Decision No.67 of the General Assembly
will be changed fundamentally". Hence, the newspapers will receive
financial support of TL 250,000 (â~B¬ 120,000) from the "Fund for
Various Tasks". The money will be paid to the minority newspapers in
line with certain criteria to be defined by the administrative board
of the association.
"We appreciate the decision but it is insufficient" Mihail Vasiliadis,
owner of the Apoyevmatini newspaper, appreciated the financial support
but noted that this sum was not enough to provide continuity. "It
helps but is not sufficient to provide employment. The amount merely
serves as a base so the newspaper does not have to be closed. Further
efforts are needed to find the rest [of the money]".
Vasiliadis evaluated the financial aid he is going to receive and
explained that he spent TL 20,000 (â~B¬ 9,000) from his own money on
top of the newspaper's budget since the beginning of the year. He noted
that he was going to make a loss of â~B¬ 150 on every day the paper
would be printed until the end of the year. According to Vasiliadis,
the anticipated financial support will be used to pay this new debt.
Vasiliadis underlined "continuity" as one of the crucial points. "This
newspaper has to provide a minimum income to the person who is going
to take it over in the future. Otherwise, why should my son take over
when he will not be able to sustain his family?"
"Our problems might not be solved but this is a good support for us",
Vasiliadis said and indicated his appreciation for the decision. He
also reminded that legal amendments were necessary in order to be
able to publish formal advertisements.
Legal obstacles Legal regulations are the basic reason for not being
able to publish formal advertisement in Apoyevmatini and other minority
newspapers. The papers must comply with the related regulations so that
the Press Advertising Association can publish announcements. According
to these regulations, the newspapers must be published on a daily
basis, comprise a minimum of eight pages and a circulation of 5,000
copies at least besides employing at least seven people.
The Press Advertising Association is worried about possible abuse once
the regulations will have been changed. The President of the Press
Advertising Association Istanbul Branch, Mehmet KöÅ~_ker, said in an
interview with bianet last month, "Let's say we changed the regulations
in order to support the newspapers in this difficult situation. What
are we going to do if 50 people with a one-page 'newspaper' come
up then? Therefore, we have to include certain criteria such as the
duration the newspaper has been published already".
Along with the Greek Apoyevmatini newspaper, another five newspapers
will benefit from the financial support, i.e. the Greek newspaper Ä°ho,
the pre-dominantly Armenian newspapers Jamanak, Marmara and Agos and
the Å~^alom newspaper published by Turkish Jews.
BIAnet.org
Aug 23, 2011
Turkey
The Press Advertising Association finished its work to address
the problems of minority newspapers. A total of TL 250,000 will be
allocated to six minority papers. However, in order to give formal
advertising, regulations have to be changed.
Istanbul - BÄ°A News Center23 August 2011, Tuesday The Press
Advertising Association took minority newspapers on its agenda after
the news had spread that the Greek newspaper Apoyevmatini was going
to shut down. Apoyevmatini has been published in Istanbul for 86 years.
Now the results of the association's meetings on aid for minority
newspapers were announced.
The Press Advertising Association was established as a tool for
the publication of formal advertising of public institutions and
organizations.
The proposal for support by the association for newspapers published
by the Armenian, Greek and Jewish societies in Turkey was accepted. It
was indicated that the most effective support for minority newspapers
was the publication of formal advertising. However, the association
emphasized that there were legal obstacles before this. First of all,
Decision No.67 of the General Assembly related to formal advertising
would have to undergo necessary changes, the association concluded.
The Press Advertising Association decided for financial help for the
minority newspapers "until Decision No.67 of the General Assembly
will be changed fundamentally". Hence, the newspapers will receive
financial support of TL 250,000 (â~B¬ 120,000) from the "Fund for
Various Tasks". The money will be paid to the minority newspapers in
line with certain criteria to be defined by the administrative board
of the association.
"We appreciate the decision but it is insufficient" Mihail Vasiliadis,
owner of the Apoyevmatini newspaper, appreciated the financial support
but noted that this sum was not enough to provide continuity. "It
helps but is not sufficient to provide employment. The amount merely
serves as a base so the newspaper does not have to be closed. Further
efforts are needed to find the rest [of the money]".
Vasiliadis evaluated the financial aid he is going to receive and
explained that he spent TL 20,000 (â~B¬ 9,000) from his own money on
top of the newspaper's budget since the beginning of the year. He noted
that he was going to make a loss of â~B¬ 150 on every day the paper
would be printed until the end of the year. According to Vasiliadis,
the anticipated financial support will be used to pay this new debt.
Vasiliadis underlined "continuity" as one of the crucial points. "This
newspaper has to provide a minimum income to the person who is going
to take it over in the future. Otherwise, why should my son take over
when he will not be able to sustain his family?"
"Our problems might not be solved but this is a good support for us",
Vasiliadis said and indicated his appreciation for the decision. He
also reminded that legal amendments were necessary in order to be
able to publish formal advertisements.
Legal obstacles Legal regulations are the basic reason for not being
able to publish formal advertisement in Apoyevmatini and other minority
newspapers. The papers must comply with the related regulations so that
the Press Advertising Association can publish announcements. According
to these regulations, the newspapers must be published on a daily
basis, comprise a minimum of eight pages and a circulation of 5,000
copies at least besides employing at least seven people.
The Press Advertising Association is worried about possible abuse once
the regulations will have been changed. The President of the Press
Advertising Association Istanbul Branch, Mehmet KöÅ~_ker, said in an
interview with bianet last month, "Let's say we changed the regulations
in order to support the newspapers in this difficult situation. What
are we going to do if 50 people with a one-page 'newspaper' come
up then? Therefore, we have to include certain criteria such as the
duration the newspaper has been published already".
Along with the Greek Apoyevmatini newspaper, another five newspapers
will benefit from the financial support, i.e. the Greek newspaper Ä°ho,
the pre-dominantly Armenian newspapers Jamanak, Marmara and Agos and
the Å~^alom newspaper published by Turkish Jews.