Why Turkey's mainstream media chose to show penguins rather than protests
The government and business interests exercise a pernicious influence over Turkish broadcasters
Momentous protests in Taksim Square, Istanbul, followed after police brutally crushed an environmental activist sit-in at the adjacent Gezi Park on Friday 31 May. Yet, the Turkish mainstream TV stations, including MNSBC-affiliated NTV and CNN Turk, failed to cover the protests. In terms of press freedom, Turkey ranks number 154 according to Reporters without Borders (RSF), just after Mexico and before Swaziland and Azerbaijan. At least 33 journalists are in jail, and many more have been cowered into submission by pending court cases and highly precarious contractual arrangements. RSF also labels Turkey as an "enemy of the internet" with more than 15,000 websites banned, including notably and for several months Richard Dawkins' personal website. Turkey's media is, by all means, one of the least free in Europe, several places behind Russia.
More:Why Turkey's mainstream media chose to show penguins rather than protests | Kerem Oktem | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk
