Format Berliner Founder(s) Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu | Owner(s) Cumhuriyet Foundation Editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu | |
 | ||
Type Daily up-market newspaper Founded 7 May 1924; 92 years ago (1924-05-07) | ||
Turkey editor of opposition paper cumhuriyet detained
Cumhuriyet ([d͡ʒum.huː.ɾi.ˈjet], The Republic) is the oldest up-market Turkish daily newspaper. Headquartered in Istanbul, the newspaper has also offices in Ankara and İzmir.
Contents
- Turkey editor of opposition paper cumhuriyet detained
- Turkey detains editor of opposition newspaper cumhuriyet
- Distribution
- History
- MT trucks scandal
- Supplements
- References
Established on 7 May 1924 by journalist Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu, a confidant of the Turkish Republic's founder Atatürk, the newspaper has subscribed to a staunchly secular, republic course. In the past closely affiliated with the Kemalist Republican People's Party (CHP), the center-left newspaper turned to a more independent course over time, while still advocating democracy, social liberal values and free markets.
Since the AKP's rise to power, Cumhuriyet has been particularly renowned for its impartial journalism, often in opposition to the government. In 2015 it was awarded the Freedom of Press Prize by international NGO Reporters Without Borders for making a stand against the government's mounting pressure. Shortly thereafter, Cumhuriyet's editor-in-chief Can Dündar and the newspaper's Ankara representative Erdem Gül were arrested facing sentences up to life imprisonment. During the last decade, the newspaper's staff has also been physically attacked, with the 2008 molotov attack against Cumhuriyet's headquarters in Istanbul's Şişli district being particularly significant. By the end of 2016, almost half of the paper's reporters, columnists and executives had been jailed by the Erdogan government.
Turkey detains editor of opposition newspaper cumhuriyet
Distribution
The circulation figure is around 53,000 copies as of October 2016. On 7 May 1998 the newspaper went on internet version.
History
Following the death of Yunus Nadi on 28 March 1945 in Geneva, Switzerland, Cumhuriyet was owned by his eldest son Nadir Nadi until his death on 20 August 1991. Nadir Nadi's wife Berin then published the newspaper. Cumhuriyet is owned by the Cumhuriyet Foundation since the death of Berin Nadi on 5 November 2001. One of its publishers was the renowned political columnist İlhan Selçuk, who was also chairman of the board of trustees until he died in 2010.
During the Gulf War Cumhuriyet suffered a collapse in advertising revenue, and following an unrelated dispute over editorial policy, nearly 40 journalists and commentators walked out in November 1991: "Circulation fell by half, and it was saved only by an extraordinary campaign by readers to buy extra copies and even pay money into a special account." Hasan Cemal, chief editor since 1981, resigned in January 1992 over the dispute: "I tried to widen the spectrum, to keep the balance. But they (old-guard intellectuals) always resisted, calling us plotters, tools of big business and the United States".
Since 17 October 2005, the newspaper's headquarters are located in Istanbul's Şişli district, after being the last newspaper to leave the traditional press district Cağaloğlu.
Cumhuriyet's office in Istanbul was the site of a molotov attack in 2008.
In 2010, the newspaper was one of the first up-market newspapers in Turkey to abandon the established broadsheet format for the midi-sized Berliner format.
In January 2015, the newspaper reprinted cartoons from Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine which had depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad and been subject to a terror attack. As a result, Cumhuriyet received threats and was placed under police protection.
MİT trucks scandal
Following the appointment of new editor-in-chief Can Dündar, the newspaper on 29 May 2015 released detailed footage depicting trucks of Turkish National Intelligence Organization carrying weapons to rebels in neighboring Syria, subject of the 2014 MİT trucks scandal. While the government faced calls to resign, an investigation began into Cumhuriyet for releasing the footage. Turkish President Erdoğan publicly targeted Dündar, stating: "I suppose the person who wrote this as an exclusive report will pay a heavy price for this."
In spite of the threats, on June 11 Cumhuriyet published further material, including photos and videos confirming that MİT trucks transported both weapons and militants between Turkey and various locations in neighboring Syria. In November, the newspaper was awarded the 2015 Reporters Without Borders Prize for its "independent and courageous journalism." Shortly thereafter, editor-in-chief Dündar and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gül were arrested on charges of being members of a terror organization, espionage and revealing confidential documents, facing sentences up to life imprisonment.
On 22 September 2016 the newspaper was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for its "fearless investigative reporting and standing up for freedom of speech and opinion despite being subject to death threats, censorship and state prosecution".
Supplements
Supplements of the newspaper: