“I went to resist. I’ll be back”: Otekilerin Postasi as an example of citizen journalism in Turkey
Dilek Özhan Koçak
(Giresum University, Turkey)
ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the rise of citizen journalism in Turkey. By using the example of Otekilerin Postati (The Post of Others) – a Facebook page that makes citizen journalism and collective reporting – it argues that citizen journalism in the country was born because the citizens needed news that was not being reported in mainstream media. The state of Turkish mainstream media became obvious during the Gezi Park protests, where news flow to citizens did not occur especially on the first day, 31 May 2013. The approach of mainstream media opened up alternative ways for news to be disseminate, such as the use of sovial media for receiving news during and ater the events. This chapter will discuss the central importance of citizen journalism by showing the ties between media owners and the Turkish government and the benefits that both enjoy as a result of this relationship, which prevented citizens from having freedom of information.