Veteran journalist Hıfzı Topuz has passed away

Journalist and author Hıfzı Topuz, one of the most senior members of the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC), a former Chair of its Honor Board, and a recipient of the Burhan Felek Press Service Award (1998), the TGC Press Freedom Award (2003), and a Permanent Press Card holder, passed away in Istanbul on Tuesday, September 26, 2023.

The Board of Directors of the Turkish Journalists Association published a message of condolence following the death of Hıfzı Topuz. The message included the following sentiments:                                                         

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear Hıfzı Topuz, one of our most senior members and former Chair of our Honor Board, who worked successfully as a journalist and author for many years. We will never forget Hıfzı Topuz, who provided great support to the Turkish Journalists Association and the organization of press workers. We extend our condolences to our colleague's family and our press community.”

WHO IS HIFZI TOPUZ?

He was born in Istanbul in 1923. He graduated from Galatasaray High School and Istanbul University Faculty of Law. Between 1947 and 1958, he worked as a reporter, intelligence chief, editor-in-chief, and general manager at Akşam Newspaper, and served as the President of the Istanbul Journalists Union.

He completed his master's degree in international law and journalism at the University of Strasbourg (1957-59) and earned his doctorate in journalism at the Strasbourg Faculty of Law (1960). He worked at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris as the Chief of the Free Flow of Information Section in the Communication Sector (1959-1983).

He managed projects on cooperation between international journalist organizations, press ethics, and the protection of journalists, and organized journalism training seminars in African countries, India, and the Philippines. He created the Rural Press project in Sub-Saharan Africa. He taught courses on the History of Press, Radio and TV, International Communication, and Political Communication at the Communication Faculties of Anadolu, Istanbul, and Galatasaray Universities.

He worked as the Deputy General Manager at TRT (1974-75). In 1993, he served as the General Broadcasting Coordinator for BRT Istanbul Radio and Television. He founded the Communication Research Association (İLAD) in 1986. He served as the Chair of the Communication Committee at the UNESCO Turkish National Commission. He organized the First National Culture Congress in Izmir in 1997 and the Symposium on Cultural Policies in Istanbul in 1998.

He served as the Chair of the Honor Board of the Turkish Journalists Association. He worked on the TGC Ballot Committee. He held a Permanent Press Card. He received the TGC Burhan Felek Press Service Award in 1998, the TGC Press Freedom Award in 2003, and the Nazım Hikmet Friendship Award in 2020. He spoke English and French. He was married and had one child.

He published 51 books on various subjects.

The most prominent ones are: Kara Afrika (1970), Türk Basın Tarihi (1973), Caricature et Societe (Paris, 1974), Uluslararası iletişim (1985), İletişimde Karikatür ve Toplum (1985), Lumumba (1987), Status, Rights and Responsibilities of Journalists (Prague, 1989), Basında Tekelleşmeler (1989), Yarının Radyo- TV Düzeni (1990), Siyasal Reklamcılık (1991), Parisli Yıllar (1994), Hoşgörü (1995), Dünya Karikatürü (1996), Meyyale (1998), Kültür Politikaları (1998). Gazi ve Fikriye, Başın Öne Eğilmesin, Vatanı Sattık Bir Pula, Devrim Yılları, Bana Atatürk’ü Anlattılar.