What is January 10 Working Journalists Day? Why is it celebrated on January 10?

WHY JANUARY 10?

Working Journalists Day became a day of celebration on January 10 due to the publication in the Official Gazette of the regulation known as "Law No. 212," which was adopted on January 4, 1961, and provided press workers with certain rights and legal protections. With this law, the union rights of journalists were protected, and significant steps were taken to allow them to practice their profession more freely. Since that date, January 10 has been accepted as an opportunity in Turkey to emphasize the social importance of journalists, remind the public of the difficulties they face, and celebrate the value of their profession.

THE SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF WORKING JOURNALISTS DAY

Working Journalists Day is a day when the challenges journalists face while fulfilling their duty to inform the public are brought to light. Journalism is a critical profession for the functioning of democracy and for society to access accurate information. Therefore, it is important that journalists can report freely and practice their profession under safe conditions.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES JOURNALISTS FACE?

Working Journalists Day is not just a celebration, but a reminder that journalists' job security and working conditions need to be improved. In Turkey and around the world, journalists face many difficulties. Economic crises, restrictions on press freedom, lack of job security, low wages, and physical and digital threats against journalists are the primary problems that those practicing this profession struggle with every day. These issues make it difficult for journalists to fulfill their duty of informing the public accurately.

WHY IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDIA AND SOCIETY IMPORTANT?

The role the media plays in the healthy functioning of a society is undeniable. Journalists are not just people who report the news; they are also individuals who inform the public, hold governments accountable, and draw attention to social issues. In this context, the professional independence and freedom of journalists are of great importance for societies to access accurate and reliable information.

THE JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION OF TURKEY'S JANUARY 10 STATEMENT

The Board of Directors of the Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC) issued a statement for January 10 Working Journalists Day.

In the statement, which expressed that January 10, 2025, is being met with a bleak outlook regarding press freedom, it was stated, "On January 10, unfair detention and imprisonment, censorship, not being employed under the Press Labor Law, low wages, lack of unionization, and unemployment remain the most severe problems on our agenda."

'THEY ARE TRYING TO PORTRAY JOURNALISM AS A CRIME'

Recalling that Turkey ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index prepared by the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the statement said, "While 18 journalists are held in prison, journalists are being pressured through lawsuits filed against them and the widespread use of judicial control measures. Following the Disinformation Law, the government is trying to portray journalism as a crime with the 'Foreign Agent' bill it keeps on the agenda. Physical attacks continue against journalists who are targeted by both the government and some opposition parties. Attackers are rewarded with impunity. No matter how poor the country's press freedom record is, we maintain our hope of practicing journalism in days when the obstacles to freedom of the press and expression are removed, journalists in prison are freed, and news and journalism are not seen as a crime."

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ON WORKING JOURNALISTS DAY?

January 10 should not just be a day of celebration; the challenges faced by journalists should be questioned and resolved by a wider public. Providing better working conditions for journalists, protecting press freedom, and increasing job security should be among the main messages of this day.