Awarding to the woman journalists annually by The Communication Research Association (ILAD), ILAD Müşerref Hekimoğlu Achievement Award was given to Çiçek Tahaoğlu, bianet Women and LGBTI News’ Editor.
For the 2014 studies, ILAD Communication Research of the Year Award was granted to Prof. Dr. Mutlu Binark and his colleagues from Hacettepe University, Faculty of Communication, and ILAD Press Honor Award was given to cartoonist Musa Kart from Cumhuriyet newspaper.
Following the award ceremony being Held in Boğaziçi University, the panel “Freedom of Expression in Turkey” was organized with the partnership of ILAD and Boğaziçi University, the Department of Political Science and International Relations.
In the panel in which Assistant Professor Selcan Kaynak were the moderator, Prof. Nermin Abadan Unat, Prof. Dr. Haluk Şahin, Musa Kart and Ceyda Karan gave a speech.
Tahaoğlu: Journalism in not a ‘Mannish’, rather a Feminized manner
The reason of the awarding;
* Due to having a journalist identity that seeks the truth, questions and searches without making a race, gender, language and ethnic discrimination,
* making news being the side of oppressed ones instead of a journalism being the side of power,
* being a sensitive journalist towards human rights’ abuse, granted with İLAD 2014 Müşerref Hekimoğlu Journalism Achievement Award.
bianet’s editor Tahaoğlu was received her award from Prof. Dr. Nermin Abadan. In her acknowledgment remark, Tahaoğlu stated,
“I have begun to work as a journalist in bianet , an independent communication network based on human rights, and still I am working there as a women and LGBTI news’ editor. Therefore, since the date I started to work as a journalist, I have made an effort to announce the voices of the women and LBGTI, I told their stories.
“I find myself luck for two reason. First, I’m lucky because, my journey as a journalist coincided with a period in which the women became an actor, the women movement became more visible, strong, and more recognized, in other words in which the women made the others consider them. The news which previously considered as invaluable with the mainstream media and the society, now hit the headlines.
“The other point is also that I make right-oriented and women-oriented news. Namely, I don’t know how to perform journalism in a “Mannish” manner. On the way of my ‘feminized’ journalism, I thank you so much for considering me worthy of this award.
Who is Müşerref Hekimoğlu?
Born in Istanbul in 1921, Müşerref Hekimoğlu started to work as a journalist in Hayat Magazine in 1948. She worked as a columnist in Yeni Sabah, Akşam, Cumhuriyet newspapers. Then, she published Öncü newspaper collaboratively with his husband in Ankara. In 1971, she was one of the founders of ANKA News Agency. Afterwards, former MP Altan Öymen took over the board of directors. She was assigned as ANKA Honorary President in 2004.
Published various books such as "27 Mayıs'ın Romanı", "Başkent Günleri", "Suna Kan: Öz Şarkısını Duyuran Keman", and translated books from German into Turkish, Hekimoğlu passed away at the age of 83 on December 10, 2004. (ÇT/HK)
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