AN EVALUATION ON READERS REPRESENTATIVE IN TURKEY

Abstract

As a tool of media accountability, reader representation refers to a system in which questions and complaints from readers are evaluated and mistakes are corrected. The practice of reader representation, which aims to increase the quality of the newspaper and gain the trust of the reader, is important for both the news organization and the reader. While on the one hand the reader's representative is the voice of the readers and examines the complaints and recommendations, on the other hand, the representative guides the journalists and newspaper management to work within the framework of ethical principles. Although reader representatives do not have any authority, they convey their views in the newspaper to correct wrong or distorted practices in the newspaper. As an independent party, they act as an information channel between the reader and the newspaper in solving problems. On the other hand, the orientation of journalism to digital media and the active position of the reader necessitated the reconsideration of reader representation. In the digital age, it is frequently emphasized that the views of reader representatives have lost their function and are replaced by readers. The purpose of this study is to provide a perspective on the functioning and the future of reader representation in the digital age. Within this context, people who worked or continue to work as a reader representative in Turkey were interviewed to identify the function and effectiveness of reader representation in the new media environment in Turkey. In the study, it is reported that strengthening and disseminating the practice of reader representation in Turkey can make a positive difference in news organizations. It is also emphasized that the need for representation is increasing in the new media/social media environment where false and fake news are circulating.