There Should be More Women in Media

According to Fatih Karaca, head of the Radio and Television Higher Board (RTUK), the board holds a special position in terms of women's employment.

Karaca gave examples from a survey about employment in the media sector.

"The survey shows that women make up of only 20.5 percent of journalists with a yellow press card," said Karaca.

"9,721 women journalists have a yellow press card. However there was a decrease in the number in 2005. This year, the rate fell to 15.9 percent."

Karaca said RTUK could not be compared to other media organizations. "As you know, the parliament selects the members of RTUK," he said. "Unfortunately only one of our nine members is a woman. And her name is Tulay Cetin Gulec."

According to the information given by Karaca, the following is RTUK's profile in terms of women's employment:

Five of RTUK's 13 senior officials are women

* Sebnem Bilgec, head of the International Relations Department,

* Perran Besirli, head of the Public and Broadcast Research Department,

* Tulin Gursoy, deputy head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Department,

* Press Counsellor Neriman Saracoglu

* Ayse Citir, department head of RTUK Chairmanship

Thirty-nine of the 60 personnel working at RTUK's Monitoring and Evaluation Department are women.

"I am very pleased with my women colleagues," said Karaca. "I would like to see an increase in the number of women employees. I am against the mentality, which sees women as a sexual commodity. It's impossible to say that women's programs solve women's problems. Women are being used to get high ratings."

According to Karaca women are absent in the decision-making mechanisms of the media sector. He said:

"Women cannot be influential if they are not in a decision-making position. If women participated in high-level management, the problem of ratings would be overcome. Women wouldn't fall into the trap of ratings."

Karaca said penalties, which aren't dissuasive, lead to footloose broadcasting. "Similar institutions exist in all democratic countries," he added.

"Broadcast monitoring exists everywhere in the world." (AD/EA/YE)