Publication: Changing nature of reations between media and politics during Turgut Özal Era
Abstract
1980 yılında, 12 Eylül askeri müdahalesi sadece Türkiye’deki sosyal ve siyasi yapıyı degil, medyayı da etkilemistir. Özellikle Turgut Özal hükümetleri tarafından uygulamaya konan neo-liberal politikalar yeni ekonomik ve sosyal yapıyı etkilemistir. Ayrıca, 1980’li yılların baslarından itibaren baslayan neo-liberal sosyal ve ekonomik degisimler nedeniyle, Türk medyası, özellikle de basın, sosyal sorumluluk prensibinden giderek uzaklasmaya baslamıstır. Bu dönemde Türk medyasında, köse yazarları arasındaki entelektüel polemikler, arastırmacı gazetecilik ve fikir gazeteciligi, magazin gazeteciligi ile yer degistirmistir. Dahası, medyanın sahiplik yapısındaki degisim olgusu, Türkiye’deki neo-liberal dönüsümün sonuçlarından biridir. 1950’li yıllardan itibaren birçok Türk isadamının pekçok gazete satın almıs olmasına karsın, 1980’lerin sonu ve 1990’ların baslarından itibaren sermayenin genis ölçüde medya sektörüne girmesinden bahsetmek mümkündür. Bu noktada, Basbakan Turgut Özal’ın isadamı Asil Nadir’i, Günaydın ve Günes gibi gazeteleri satın alması konusunda cesaretlendirdigini söylemek gereklidir. Medyadaki diger bir önemli gelisme de basın isletmelerinin, 1990’lı yıllarda medya holdinglerine dönüsmesidir. Türk isadamlarının gazete, dergi satın alıp özel televizyon kanalları kurmaları, yogun tekellesme egilimlerine neden olmustur. Bu durum medya ve siyaset arasındaki iliskiyi etkilemistir. Ardından, medya isletmeleri artık özel sirketler gibi yönetilmeye baslamıstır. Ve hükümete yönelik olarak, televizyon kanallarının yayın politikaları ile gazetelerin yayımcılık politikalarında medya patronlarının hükümetten ekonomik çıkar saglamaları önemli ve belirleyici bir unsur olmustur.
In 1980, the 12 September military intervention not only affected social and political structure, but also madia and its structure in Turkey. Especially the neo-liberal policies which were put in practice by Turgut Özal’s governments influenced new economic and social structure. Besides, because of the neo-liberal social and economic policies beginning from the early 1980s, Turkish media, especially the press, drew from its social responsibility concept. In this era, intellectual polemics between the columnists, investigative and opinion journalism were replaced by the magazine coverage in the media. Furthermore, the phenomenon of the changes in the media ownership was also one of the results of the neo-liberal transformation in Turkey. Although some Turkish businessmen purchased several newspapers since the 1950s, it can be argued that as from the late 1980s and early 1990s, the business capital widely penetrated into the media. Here, it is important to underline that Turgut Özal, the Prime Minister, encouraged Asil Nadir to purchase various newspapers such as Günaydın and Günes. Another important development in the media was that the media managements turned into the media holdings during the 1990s. That Turkish businessmen purchased newspapers, magazines, even founded television channels caused a huge monopolistic trends. This circumstance influenced the relations betwen media and the politics. Then media corporations were now started to be managed as the business companies. And, in the broadcasting policies of the television channels or publishing policies of the newspapers towards the government, media bosses’ attempt of gaining economic benefit from the government became a determinant element.
In 1980, the 12 September military intervention not only affected social and political structure, but also madia and its structure in Turkey. Especially the neo-liberal policies which were put in practice by Turgut Özal’s governments influenced new economic and social structure. Besides, because of the neo-liberal social and economic policies beginning from the early 1980s, Turkish media, especially the press, drew from its social responsibility concept. In this era, intellectual polemics between the columnists, investigative and opinion journalism were replaced by the magazine coverage in the media. Furthermore, the phenomenon of the changes in the media ownership was also one of the results of the neo-liberal transformation in Turkey. Although some Turkish businessmen purchased several newspapers since the 1950s, it can be argued that as from the late 1980s and early 1990s, the business capital widely penetrated into the media. Here, it is important to underline that Turgut Özal, the Prime Minister, encouraged Asil Nadir to purchase various newspapers such as Günaydın and Günes. Another important development in the media was that the media managements turned into the media holdings during the 1990s. That Turkish businessmen purchased newspapers, magazines, even founded television channels caused a huge monopolistic trends. This circumstance influenced the relations betwen media and the politics. Then media corporations were now started to be managed as the business companies. And, in the broadcasting policies of the television channels or publishing policies of the newspapers towards the government, media bosses’ attempt of gaining economic benefit from the government became a determinant element.