Turkish journalists have been engaged lately in important debates about media ethics. When is it OK to use anonymous sources? How about hidden cameras? What are journalists' responsibilities in reporting about divisive ethnic issues? If you want to find answers to the dilemmas you face as a journalist and learn how to create a code of ethics for your news organization, don’t miss this free online course on media ethics. The course, which will be conducted in Turkish, is organized by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), and will run from August 6 to September 17. Deadline: July 30.

Using ICFJ’s resources, including a comprehensive handbook titled "Journalism Ethics: The Global Debate," participants will examine a number of real-life case studies examining media independence, accuracy, fairness, freedom and responsibility that have resonance in Turkey. The issues under debate in these case studies include:

• What is the line between informing and inflaming?
• Can/should journalists report on hate speech without repeating it?
• When, if ever, is it okay for journalists to misrepresent who they are?
• Should news organizations publish stories that hurt their subjects but benefit society at large?
• When should journalists protect anonymous sources?
• When, if ever, should journalists use hidden cameras?
• What qualifies as a conflict of interest?

Participants' assignments will be focused on developing elements of an ethical code of conduct that fits their individual news organizations.

Press conference in Istanbul, Turkey to announce the launch of the program

This course will be followed by another online course that will expand the ethics conversation to specifically address the complex issues that arise when journalists use digital platforms to both report and publish news. During the course, which will run from October 1 to November 12, journalists will learn a variety of online skills while addressing the ethical components of each.

ICFJ will bring together in Istanbul 18 of the best participants for a three-day workshop. Criteria will be active participation in the online courses and discussion forums, quality of assignments, and written support from participants’ editors to ensure that the knowledge and codes developed during the workshop will be carried over into the newsroom.

At the workshop, the group will work together to further develop ethics codes for their news organizations and a broader one for all of Turkish media. Two trainers, one international and one a prominent Turkish journalist, will lead the workshop, so that the training offers both a Turkish and global perspective.

By building on the work begun in the online courses, the workshop will help cement that learning and achieve development of detailed codes of ethics. ICFJ’s partner, Media Dernegi, will continue to promote the codes – as well as their further development – for the industry.

The curriculum of the first course is written by Sherry Ricchiardi and will be taught by Alper Görmüş.

Sherry Ricchiardi, Ph.D. is an award-winning senior writer for American Journalism Review, specializing in international issues, and a professor at the Indiana University School of Journalism. Media ethics, investigative reporting, journalism and trauma issues are among her specialties.

She has worked as a media trainer around the world, including in Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Yemen, Indonesia and Colombia. Her assignments for AJR have taken her to the Balkans, West Africa, Central Asia and the Philippines.

Alper Görmüş is an award-winning journalist. He regularly writes on media ethics for Taraf newspaper. He was prosecuted under Terror Law when he was managing editor at Aktuel weekly and sentenced to 3 months. Stayed in jail in 1996 for 3 months.

He lectured on “News analysis” at Istanbul Bilgi University Journalism School from1999 to 2006.

His last position was Editor-in-Chief of Nokta weekly news magazine. Nokta faced pressures after revealing coup d’etat plans (April 2007). It closed when its owner surrendered under pressures. After Nokta closed, Gormus became columnist at Taraf newspaper and Aktuel weekly news magazine.

Gormus won the first International Hrant Dink Award, named for the murdered journalist. He also won the “Best Columnist” award from the Turkish Authors' Association in 2009.

To apply for the course, click here

For more information, please contact the project’s local director, Baris Soydan, at baris.soydan@sabah.com.tr.