Turkish Journalism Awards Announced

The Contemporary Journalists’ Association (ÇGD) has announced its journalism awards for 2008. There were awards in different categories:

• ÇGD Special Honours Award: Journalist and writer Hıfzı Topuz for his contributions to making the Turkish Press and culture better known.
  
  
• Uğur Mumcu Research Journalism Award: Bahadır Selim Dilek from the Cumhuriyet Newspaper for his research “Global Trap, Moderate Islam”
  
  
• Mustafa Ekmekçi Award: Nurettin Kurt from Hürriyet Newspaper for his news item “ISKI (local water authority) Exploded in Ankara”
  
  
• Mahmut Tali Öngören Award: Nebil Özgentürk from CNNTürk for his programme “Turkey’s Diary”
  
  
• News: Gökçer Tahincioğlu from Milliyet Newspaper for his news item entitled “Throwing Stones is Terrorism, Throwing Bombs Is Not”
  
  
• Rafet Genç Award: Gülümhan Gülten from Vatan for the news item “The Unakitan Family Are Setting Up a 600-Million-Dollar Energy Plant” and Zehra Şahindokuyucu from Birgün for her article “Male Visitors to Sincan Prison Forced to Wear Skirts”
  
  
• Feature Report: Adnan Genç from Birgün for his Yerevan Diary, Saniye Doğukan from Anayurt for “Those Who Changed the Fate of the PTT (Turkish Post)” and Vercihan Ziftlioğlu from Referans for a feature on director Sergei Parayenov
  
  
• Caricature: The satirical weekly Leman for its cover caricature of Hüseyin Üzmez, who stands accused of sexually abusing a minor in the guise of a religiously sanctioned wedding.
  
  
• İzzet Kezer Photography Award: Selahattin Sönmez of the Hürriyet Daily News for a photograph entitled “Turkey, 1 May”
  
  
• Television Programme: Demet Kayıran from TRT-International for “I am Not Guilty- What Honour?” and Olgunay Köse from TRT for “Holding on to Life with the Elderly”
  
  
• Television News: Murat Çelik from Star TV for “Chief Prosecutor’s Secretary Wears Headscarf” and Hilmi Hacaloğlu and Cumhur Çatkaya from NTV for “Attacks on Journalists at the Ossetia Border”
  
  
• Television Documentary: Pınar Şenel from TV24 for her documentary “Last Migration- The Sarıkeçis”, Güngör Makar from Kanal B for “Railroads from the Past to Today” and Vakkas Aksu from SKYTürk for “Tarlabaşı – Busstop for the Marginalised”.
  
  
• Radio Programme: Pınar Şenel from TRT Turkey’s Voice with “The Turkey in Germany”, Bircan Çiçek form TRT Ankara for “Telegraph Operator Hamdi Bey from Manastır” and Gurbet Özer from Özgür Radio for “Journey into the Day with Gurbet”.
  
  
• A special Solidarity Award was given to Hacı Boğatekin, a local journalist from Gergerli, Adıyaman. He was convicted of insulting Fethullah Gülen, the prominent leader of an Islamic movement, in an article.
  
  
• An Encouragement Award was given to the Görünüm newspaper of the Communications Faculty at Ankara University.
  
  
• The Internet news websites bizhaberiz.com and siyaset tv were given awards for their publishing policies.
  
  
• Awards to local media went to Akın Bodur of the İskenderun Voice and İbrahim Yalçıner from Btv. (EÜ/AG)