Turkey is entering a critical election period with general and presidential elections scheduled by June 18, 2023. The article provides ten essential tips for journalists covering elections, emphasizing the importance of maintaining neutrality, listening to public demands, adhering to ethical standards in reporting election data, and verifying information rigorously. Experts like Tezcan Durna, Sibel Hürtaş, Kenan Kırkaya, and Emre İlkan Saklıca offer insights on avoiding manipulative practices, ensuring balanced coverage, and the critical role of fact-checking organizations. The piece underscores the need for journalists to bridge the gap between political parties and the public to strengthen democracy.

Communication faculties' application centers provide students with their first steps into the journalism profession, offering practical experience through various media formats. Graduates from these centers highlight the benefits and challenges of their training, emphasizing the importance of practical experience in their professional development. Despite some resource limitations, these centers play a crucial role in preparing students for the media industry, fostering both technical skills and a sense of societal responsibility.

The article examines the Disinformation Bulletin published by the Presidency of Turkey's Communication Directorate, highlighting its focus on independent media. Over seven months, 31 news organizations were featured 87 times, predominantly targeting independent outlets like Cumhuriyet, BirGün, and Halk TV. The bulletin is criticized for acting as a tool of government propaganda rather than genuine verification, with commentary from lawyer Ülkü Şahin emphasizing its role in undermining press freedom. The Disinformation Combat Center and its Verification Service are accused of selectively targeting critical journalism while ignoring misinformation from pro-government media.

Dr. Ferda Fahrioğlu Akın's doctoral research investigates the role of traditional leaders, known as Rûsipî, in resolving micro-level conflicts in Diyarbakır, Turkey. These informal mediators are respected community figures who listen to both parties and witnesses before making decisions that often impose certain obligations on the perpetrator to achieve reconciliation. Dr. Akın emphasizes that this informal mediation system is not an alternative or parallel to the official legal system and does not threaten state sovereignty. The research involved in-depth interviews with various stakeholders, including Rûsipî, political party members, and legal professionals. The study finds that informal mediation is effective in resolving conflicts involving personal injury, family disputes, debt, and land issues, and is particularly successful in cases that the formal legal system fails to reconcile, such as murder and blood feuds.

The article examines the types of news covered by local media in Bursa, Turkey, as part of the 'What's the News Locally?' series. It analyzes 1,485 news items from four local media outlets over two weeks, categorizing them into current events, economy and life, politics, sports, culture and arts, health, women's news, and news about Syrians. The study finds that while Bursa's local media reflects the local agenda, it faces significant financial sustainability issues, relying heavily on municipal advertising and promotional revenues. The article includes comments from local journalists and academics who emphasize the need for reader and viewer support for independent and developed local media. It also criticizes the Basın İlan Kurumu for trying to control local media through advertisement embargoes and other means.

Vuslat Çamkerten, an author and illustrator, emphasizes the importance of teaching philosophical thinking to children from a young age, enabling them to ask the right questions independently. She describes her approach to teaching philosophy to children through workshops, highlighting the need for children to socialize differently than what is typically structured by adults. Çamkerten advocates for a creative and inquisitive environment that fosters children's intellectual and emotional growth, which she believes is beneficial not only in the present but also in shaping their future decision-making and vision.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), continues to spark debate with his November 13 statement on reconciliation. Professor Nilgün Toker, a peace academic, political philosopher, and human rights advocate, analyzes the conceptual implications of Kılıçdaroğlu's reconciliation rhetoric for bianet. Toker interprets Kılıçdaroğlu's use of the term 'reconciliation' as encompassing societal peace and suggests that societies select concepts suitable for their own contexts, citing examples from Chile and Joe Biden's policies. The article discusses the distinction between reconciliation and facing historical wrongs, with Toker emphasizing the importance of recognizing collective historical sins for social unity and justice.

Doğan Akın, founder of T24, discusses his journey in journalism, emphasizing the need for financial and ideological independence in the media. He reflects on his career, the challenges faced, and his vision for journalism. The article highlights Akın's belief in the power of accurate reporting and the importance of being well-informed. Supported by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the content underscores the transformative impact of digital media on journalism.

Local journalism should prioritize community needs over traditional storytelling. Examples from Belarus, New York, and Germany illustrate the importance of addressing local issues like transportation schedules and disaster response. Experts like Jeff Jarvis and Olaf Deininger advocate for media to facilitate community organization and provide practical information. Initiatives by the European Journalism Centre, Hearken, and the Knight Foundation highlight strategies for enhancing user engagement and supporting local journalism. The article underscores the need for local media to focus on real community problems and foster collaboration to find solutions.

The New York Times has achieved significant global reach with over one million digital subscribers outside the United States, contributing to its total of 8.3 million subscribers. The article highlights the newspaper's historical significance, its reputation as a 'newspaper of record,' and its numerous Pulitzer Prizes. Despite facing various controversies and challenges, the New York Times has maintained high journalistic standards and adapted to technological advancements, making it a model for digital journalism. The article also contrasts the New York Times' success with the Washington Post's aspirations to achieve similar global influence.

Civil society organizations in Turkey, active in various fields from ecology to health and education to politics, struggle with visibility despite their significant projects. Evrim Kepenek from Bianet emphasizes the importance of visibility and the need for civil society journalism to be considered alongside rights-focused journalism. İnanç Mısırlıoğlu from Sivil Sayfalar highlights the need for clear, concise, and grammatically correct press releases that adhere to the 5W1H rule in journalism. Both stress the importance of including contact information and executive summaries in reports to facilitate media coverage. Civil society journalism platforms differ from other media by providing a space for slow journalism that focuses on solutions and contributes to the public good by tracking the issues, constraints, and opportunities affecting the civil sphere.

Children from the historic Ankara Castle area express their desires for better living conditions, including improved lighting, play areas, and even a sea or pool. The area, predominantly inhabited by the Roma community, faces challenges such as inadequate facilities and urban transformation concerns. The children's requests come ahead of the local elections, with political parties like the AKP, CHP, and MHP being key players. The article also highlights the perspectives of several local children and teenagers on their living environment and what changes they wish to see.

Nuray Karaoğlu, president of the Association for Supporting Female Candidates (KADER), revealed the low number of female candidates presented by major political parties in Turkey's March 31 local elections. The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was the only party to declare a 50% female candidate ratio. Politicians Candan Yüceer, Melda Onur, Ebru Asiltürk, and Saliha Aydeniz discussed the importance of women's representation in politics, with varying views on gender quotas and the current political landscape. The article also mentions Atölye BİA, a journalism workshop series by IPS Communication Foundation/bianet, supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).