A journalist is a person who is always ready for any small and big event and crisis to guide public opinion by his documented, honest and professional news and reports in the right direction. Journalists, who are one of the key figures in this important issue, must accept the many dangers to find out the truth of the issue and convey it to the people.
Mordad 17 in the Iranian calendar corresponding with August 8 has been designated as Journalist Day in Iran to commemorate the martyrdom of Iranian journalist Mahmoud Saremi who was martyred along with eight members of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Afghanistan on August 8, 1988.
August 8 in Iran is the day of commemoration of journalists who are always at the forefront of public awareness in various cultural, artistic, social, religious, economic, political and sports fields.
To shed light on the role of journalists in society, we reached out to experienced Turkish journalist Aynur Tattersall. She graduated from Aegean University’s Communication Faculty in journalism in Izmir. She began her career in journalism in 1996. She received her master degree in ‘Media’ in England. In 2008, she started to work as the London Correspondent of Doğan News Agency (DHA) in the Hürriyet London Office. She still works as a reporter in London. Aynur Tattersall, who has been living in the UK for 21 years, is a holder of the Yellow Press Card and is a member of the British Association of National Journalists (NUJ).
Following is the text of the interview with Aynur in which she shared her views and experiences with MNA audiences:
Journalist Day is celebrated on August 8 in Iran. Is Journalist day commemorated in your country, too?
In Turkey, we celebrate Press Day on 24 July. Also in the UK, we celebrate the 3rd of May as World Press Freedom Day.
Given that there is no International Journalist Day in the world, what is your suggestion for having such a world day, considering the importance of the role of journalists?
As far as I know every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world also to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
Do you like your job as a journalist and what do you think are the difficulties of working as a journalist?
I love my job as a journalist, it is the best job for me and I am glad chosen to be a journalist. I always feel it is not a job for me. It is a lifestyle. As a journalist, you will face something different every day. Also, you get to be there when history happens.
Every job has some difficulties. The most important thing is to love what you do every day. When obstacles arise just focus on the solutions, not the problem.
Given the many trips you have made to different parts of the world as a journalist so far, which country has caught your eye? Why?
Every county I have been was different and I came back with many happy memories and many learnings about life. All the challenges and opportunities travel lays at your feet help you discover who you are in a way that’s only possible on the road.
People you meet become some of the most valued names on your contact list. They become places on the map to visit and call later on.
Sometimes it’s only far from home that you realize that you’ve got skills which you’ve never used. You discover yourself through trips. And most importantly, meeting people from other cultures will teach you that the way you’ve been looking at the world isn't the way everybody else does. In fact, your point of view might have some major blind spots.
As a journalist, seeing the world and discovering other cultures will improve your view and grip on reality.
Have you ever traveled to Iran? What did you think about Iran before visiting it? Are there any changes in your mentality after visiting Iran?
I’ve been all around the world, spent a lot of time in the last 25 years in a lot of different countries. I have had visited Tehran and Isfahan for a week.
It was one of my unforgettable visits. Loved taking photos in different parts of the country. I felt welcomed and fascinated.
Even though I have just visited only two cities, Iran is such an incredible country to travel to. The architecture in Iran amazed me and the landscapes in this country are precious. The friendliness of Iranian people, as well as culture, fascinated me.
I was a little concerned to go to Iran before my visit as I was thinking maybe the country wasn’t safe enough. But it is also very misunderstood, with many people believing whatever propaganda they hear on the media about how dangerous or difficult it is to travel İran. I felt so safe during my trip.
The Iranian people are so friendly and helpful. They want you to have a great time during your visit to Iran.
As a journalist, how do you see the importance of the media in affecting world affairs and the decisions of high-ranking officials?
The role of the media in world affairs and politics goes beyond publicity. Media coverage has directly influenced people’s lives and brought new - primarily non-state - actors into the foreign policy-making process and been a source of quickly updated and available information to high-ranking officials.
It has also accelerated the pace of diplomatic communication from months to weeks and weeks to minutes and has focused world attention on crises. In some cases, leaders have had to address these issues even though it appears that they have not been high in their agenda.
The media's involvement in diplomacy is becoming increasingly important as heads of state and non-state actors make increasing use of the media as a major instrument for communication and negotiation.
Journalists have even occasionally assumed the role of diplomats, both in crises and peacemaking situations.
Interview by Zahra Mirzafarjouyan