dokuz8NEWS has established an election watch-centre to prevent media manipulation as citizens reclaim the ballot boxes for #TurkeyElections that will take place on June 24, 2018 on Sunday.
dokuz8NEWS has made a call for citizens to join the #TurkeyElections#TurkeyElections Citizens News Watch Network. CENSORSHIP THREATENS ELECTION SAFETY The network that has been formed with the call from dokuz8NEWSCITIZENS INITIATIVE FOR NEWS [caption id="attachment_12083" align="alignleft" width="300"] Citizens Election Watch Network[/caption] As a news network that has started its formation during 2013’s popular Gezi Park protests and having started its daily publications on the March 30, 2014 municipal elections, dokuz8NEWSNO OTHER NEWS AGENCY THAT IS FREE FROM GOVERNMENT CONTROL In previous elections in earlier years, apart from state owned Anadolu Agency, there had been other news agencies operating nation-wide that had a rather critical approach to state broadcaster TRT’s news coverage, and through these news agencies there had been possibility of preventing media manipulation on election day. However in the aftermath of July 15, 2016 coup attempt there remains no news agency that is not operating under direct government control. CITIZENS HAD TO RECLAIM THE NEWS [caption id="attachment_12084" align="alignright" width="300"] Gökhan Biçici[/caption] dokuz8NEWSLOCAL MEDIA ALSO PARTICIPATING Biçici continues to explain that the election watch centre represents much more than just dokuz8NEWS, but includes citizen journalists and professional journalists from across Turkey as well as representatives of local media from dozens of cities. IT HAS BECOME A MUST One of the founders of local media coordination, chair of Samsun Journalists Society and Samsun News chief editor Mehmet Yazıcı said “the pressure targeting media has forced us to create an alternative. Moreover the society also has such a dynamism. Through this network there might open new doors for media in Turkey.” “AS A JOURNALISM STUDENT AND YOUNG CITIZEN I HAVE JOINED IN” One of the active members of the news network and a former editor of Citizens News Watch Network, Ceylan Sağlam explains that she has joined the network as a student of journalism and a young citizen. Another contributor to the news network from Diyarbakır, M.B. has stated that the #TurkeyElections Citizens News Watch Network is an exciting development under State of Emergency Rule conditions when pressure hits the media hardest. M.B. who did not want to announce his name after being dismissed with a decree, has also stated that he will continue supplying the network with crucial information on the day of elections, from Diyarbakır. As part of a nation-wide cooperation for election safety, more than a million citizens have been mobilised under various platforms. One such institution is Independent Election Monitoring Platform that has been operating since 2011. After a successful cooperation in 2017 during the referendum day, dokuz8NEWS is advancing one step further in this partnership on June 24. On the other hand, dokuz8NEWS will be an integral part of nationally established umbrella organisation, Election Justice Platform. COMPREHENSIVE NEWSROOM, MULTILUNGUAL PUBLICATION Throughout the day, hundreds of citizen journalists from across Turkey will present their news with news centres that are being established in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir with participation of 20 editors, who will publish the news in on various platforms simultaneously. Many members of international media will also participate the election watch centre activities in Istanbul and observe the news flow with #TurkeyElections Citizens News Watch Network, and use the content emerging from citizens news agency. Members of international media, press freedom observers and professionals focusing on Turkey can send a message to dokuz8NEWS on its social media channels or [email protected]. dokuz8NEWS continues to receive applications to participate Citizens News Watch Network and appoints citizens as correspondents, editors, video editors, graphics designers, translators, lawyers, etc. dokuz8NEWS Telegram Channel On the day of elections, dokuz8NEWS will be publishing news emerging from hundreds of citizen journalists across Turkey, in Turkish and English. Twitter will be the main channel of dissemination of news, however for those who are not using twitter, mobile communications application Telegram will also be operating with instant updates. You may use Telegram on your mobile devices and computer. Download Telegram: https://desktop.telegram.org Join dokuz8NEWS Telegram Channel: https://t.me/dokuz8news