The seventh issue of GazeteMLSA, the practice newspaper of the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), has been published, featuring in-depth reporting by a team of young journalists on a wide range of underreported social issues from across Turkey.
The new edition includes stories on the growing trend of reverse migration from major cities back to hometowns, Diyarbakır’s unique passion for pigeon keeping, and the increasing involvement of university students in illegal online betting. Also featured are in-depth reports on the struggles of seriously ill prisoners seeking access to healthcare and the uncertainty many Syrian refugees face about returning to their country — two of the issue’s main highlights.
Broad participation from emerging journalists
Among the contributors to the 7th issue are Zeynep Akat, Heval Deniz Kaya, Duygu Kıt, Emel Vural, Ebru Yazıcı, Evindar Bakan, Mansur Kuyumcu, Derya Kap, Gizem Çetinmen, Ceren Sümer, Ece Deniz, Sema Serbest, Songül Karadeniz, Ege Vural Hükümdar, Yasemin Dikici, Zeynep Sümer, Rojan Mamo, Eylül Deniz Yaşar, Zeliha Aslan, and Merve Tur. The issue was overseen by responsible editor Banu Tuna, the General Secretary of the Journalists’ Union of Turkey, while Gökçer Tahincioğlu, Ankara bureau chief of the independent news outlet T24, contributed as one of the project coordinators.
Training workshops and mentors
The seventh issue was produced as the result of a “News Workshop for Journalists,” held in December in Kilyos, a coastal town north of Istanbul. Now in its fourth year, the workshop aims to provide young journalists with a newsroom-like experience by bringing them together with seasoned professionals. Many past participants have since joined national and local media outlets.
This year’s program included sessions on news writing and editorial processes led by Gökçer Tahincioğlu and Banu Tuna. Other contributors included Şebnem Turhan on economic journalism, attorney Emine Özhasar on media law, and Özgür Korkmaz on editorial management. Participants came not only from university communications faculties but also from news outlets such as Karar.com, T24, Bianet, Gazete Duvar, and Milliyet Kitap.
Over the course of three days, participants received both practical and theoretical training on topics ranging from generating story ideas and field reporting to writing economic news and understanding journalists’ legal rights. The stories featured in the latest edition of GazeteMLSA emerged from the fieldwork conducted in Kilyos during the workshop.
As young journalists continue to investigate and write about Turkey’s overlooked human stories from the field, GazeteMLSA remains a platform for alternative journalism.
The latest issue of GazeteMLSA is available on MLSA’s official website. To receive a printed copy, readers are invited to fill out the distribution form.
