Local Media and Local Politics Discussed at the School of Politics

In the thirteenth week of the School of Politics program organized by the Bahçeşehir University School of Government and Leadership, with the valued participation of Olay Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Emin Yılmaz, CHP Secretary General Bihlun Tamaylıgil, Turquoise Movement Leader Ali Müfit Gürtuna, and Bahçeşehir University Graduate School of Social Sciences Director Assist. Prof. Dr. Burak Küntay, the topics of Local Media and Local Politics, Economy–Finance–Tourism and Türkiye's Agenda, a New Understanding of Politics, and Türkiye on the US–Middle East Axis were discussed.

In summary, the participants said the following:

AHMET EMİN YILMAZ:

“"No matter how advanced communication technology becomes, people cannot live alone in cities; they need a network of life. Local media fills the missing pieces in this local network of life. Local newspapers are publications that strengthen this network by sharing the daily life of the public. Compared with general public opinion, local public opinion is more homogeneous, and contact with people is easier and warmer. Because people working at local newspapers live in the same environment, they share the same problems as their surroundings. Local media also has a great influence on politics. Politicians want local media on their side and see it as a propaganda tool. There is mutual interaction, and both sides benefit from each other."

BİHLUN TAMAYLIGİL:

“"The best growth forecast in what we call the medium-term plan for 2012–2013 is around 4%. We are a country that grows by running a current account deficit. This happens through consumption, not production. We grow, we borrow, and our current account deficit increases. Looking at annual capacity utilization rates in the manufacturing industry, the rate was 81.0 in 2006 and 73.8 in 2012. Türkiye has a persistent policy of dependent production."

ALİ MÜFİT GÜRTUNA:

“"If we were to define politics, politics is the science and art of governing a society. In Türkiye, politics is perceived as coming to power, whereas coming to power is a skill; the system run there is politics. Even a small event anywhere in the world affects Türkiye, because Türkiye is at the keystone of the world. That is why it must be governed very well. If problems are global, solutions must be global too. What we need to produce is a level of global leadership."

ASSIST. PROF. DR. BURAK KÜNTAY:

“"When discussing the Middle East, one cannot talk without also addressing the USA, China and Russia. If the unemployment rate falls below 8.5 by the November elections, Obama will be re-elected president. The only possibility that could upset this is war. Obama cannot risk such a thing so as not to lose the presidency. America is culturally more advanced than China. China needs energy resources to sustain its current economy and industry. While modern Arab nationalism was born in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, in contrast, sees itself as the leader of the Sunni Islamic world. The same applies to Iran for the Shiite world. Syria, on the other hand, is governed by the cadre of Assad's father. Russia has entered a period of existence under Putin. It has the advantage of natural gas, but the logic of reaching warm seas still continues. In Türkiye, the policy of opening up to the Middle East began in 2002; to do business in the Middle East, we need to keep our relations with those in power close."