An event titled “Media and Women” was organized by the Department of Sociology of Üsküdar University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Sociology Club operating under the Head of Health, Culture, and Sports (HCS). At the program, Pınar Aktaş, Editorial Director of Milliyet Newspaper, shared her 30 year professional journey in journalism and the transformation of women’s representation in the media. Aktaş made striking remarks on many topics, ranging from the struggle against sexist language in the media to collaborations with UN Women, from the impact of media language on femicides to the importance of women’s visibility in the sector.
The event, held at the Socrates Hall of the South Campus, featured Milliyet Newspaper Editorial Director Pınar Aktaş as the guest speaker. The session was moderated by Prof. Barış Erdoğan, Head of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
A 30-year journey in journalism
Stating that she began her journalism career at Milliyet in 1996 as a trainee reporter, Aktaş shared her professional journey from reporting to news management and then to editorial directorship. Emphasizing that she is the first woman to hold this position in Milliyet’s 75 year history, Aktaş highlighted the importance of women’s visibility in the media sector.
“We are trying to change this mindset”
Aktaş addressed the male dominated perspective that prevailed in the media for many years with concrete examples. She said, “For example, in a fashion show news piece, you see a headline like ‘Model Ayşe set hearts racing.’ It is very clear that the person who wrote this line is male. We are trying to change this mindset.”
Stating that Milliyet follows an editorial policy that treats women not as objects but as subjects, Aktaş emphasized that significant steps have been taken in the field of gender equality.
“Special investigative series are being prepared”
Reminding that since 2020 Milliyet Newspaper has been an official media partner of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), Aktaş explained the ongoing efforts. She stated, “Within the scope of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign, special investigative news series are prepared drawing attention to digital violence, cyberbullying, and gender-based hate speech. In the column titled ‘Egalitarian Stories,’ published on Mondays, successful women in business life and equality policies are featured. Within the scope of UN Women trainings, the editorial team is regularly informed on gender equality.”
Is the media influential in femicides?
Referring to the increasing number of femicides in Türkiye, Aktaş emphasized that the perception of impunity plays a significant role in this process. She said, “In the past, unjust provocation sentence reductions were frequently applied. It is unacceptable for a man to receive a reduced sentence on the claim that a woman provoked him. As the media language made this injustice visible, some practices began to change. After Milliyet brought to public attention suspicious female deaths recorded as ‘falls from height,’ many case files were reopened and investigations were further deepened.”
Within the scope of the event, students presented flowers to Aktaş.
The program ended with a group photo session.