Süleyman Sedat Simavi (b. 1896, Istanbul - d. December 11, 1953, Istanbul) was a Turkish journalist, writer, publishing house owner and cartoonist. He is the founder of Hürriyet newspaper.
Who is Sedat Simavi?
Sedat Simavi, born in Istanbul in 1896, was a Turkish journalist, writer, publishing house owner and one of the most important figures of the press world. Simavi is recognized as one of the most important figures in the history of the Turkish press, especially for his contributions in the field of journalism. Simavi spent his education and youth in Istanbul. He completed his secondary and high school education at Saint Joseph French High School and Galatasaray High School. He also worked briefly as a history teacher at Galatasaray High School.
He started his career in the press with Hande magazine, which he began publishing weekly in 1916. This magazine marked the first steps of his journalism career and paved the way for him to become one of the leading figures of the Turkish press. Sedat Simavi did not limit his success in press life to journalism, but also made significant contributions to the Turkish humor world. He played an important role in the publication of humor magazines such as İnci, Diken and Karikatür.
In 1917, he directed the first fictionalized Turkish films titled Pençe and Casus. Simavi, who also worked in the field of humor, published the cartoon albums Yeni Zenginler in 1918 and Kadınlar Saltanatı in 1920. He also brought important innovations to magazine publishing in the Turkish press by publishing Yedigün, the most popular weekly magazine of the period. In 1920, he published a daily newspaper called Dersaadet, and during the War of Independence, he supported the Kuvayi-Milliye with his humor magazine Güleryüz. Despite the harsh conditions during the war years, this magazine made publications aimed at keeping the morale of the people high and supporting the resistance. The humor magazines of this period reflected Sedat Simavi's publishing approach by not only aiming to entertain but also to create social awareness.
Between 1921 and 1930, he published many magazines such as Hanım, Hacıyatmaz, Yıldız, Meraklı Gazeteci, Yeni Kitap and Arkadaş. Simavi published the weekly magazine Yedigün in 1933, and continued to publish Karagöz magazine for many years, which he took over in 1935. Sedat Simavi's success in magazine publishing made him an important figure in the Turkish press.
Influence and Legacy
Sedat Simavi was one of the founders of the Turkish Journalists Association in 1946 and served as its president until 1949. After his death, the Sedat Simavi Awards, given by the Journalists Association of Turkey, which he founded, continue to honor his legacy in the field of journalism. His grave is located in the Mihrimah Sultan Cemetery in Kanlıca and there is a primary school in Kanlıca named after him. Simavi founded the newspaper Hürriyet on May 1, 1948, where he was the chief writer,
He made Hürriyet the most widely read newspaper in Turkey. He left a great mark on the world of journalism by writing editorials for Hürriyet newspaper until the end of his life. Sedat Simavi's contributions to journalism are still influential in the Turkish press and journalism today.