Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06ANKARA1741, PROPOSED ELIMINATION OF THE VOA TURKISH SERVICE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06ANKARA1741.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ANKARA1741 2006-03-31 14:10 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001741 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE (MORRISON), EUR/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO TU VOA
SUBJECT: PROPOSED ELIMINATION OF THE VOA TURKISH SERVICE 
 
REF: ANKARA 1103 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. Post continues to hear comments from influential Turks 
alarmed by the possible elimination of the VOA Turkish 
Service.  VOA serves as a compass for many journalists 
working in Turkey's free but irresponsible media. 
Elimination of the VOA Turkish service (while the Kurdish 
service continues) would also feed Turkish suspicion about 
US intentions with regard to northern Iraq and the Kurds at 
a time of growing unrest among Kurds in southeast Turkey. 
Contacts believe elimination of the service would send 
exactly the wrong signal about the importance of Turkish- 
American relations, and would deny Turks the opportunity to 
get a "Washington perspective" on Turkey and the region. 
End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Cutting VOA Will "Send a Message" 
--------------------------------- 
 
2. Leading Turkish opinion makers continue to express dismay 
at the possible elimination of the VOA Turkish service. 
Murat Yetkin, influential columnist at the liberal daily 
"Radikal," told us that he starts every working day 
listening to the early-morning VOA broadcast on NTV radio. 
Yetkin says he values the "Washington perspective" of VOA 
much as he values the "London perspective" of the BBC. 
Deger Akal, President of the Diplomatic Correspondents' 
Association in Ankara, said she and many of her colleagues 
listen to VOA "every day without fail" and use the VOA 
website as a source for news stories and to get an 
outsider's view of developments in Turkey and the region. 
When informed of the possibility that VOA could be cut, Akal 
expressed "shock" and said that the US would "obviously be 
sending a message" about the importance of relations with 
Turkey through such a move. 
 
3. Yuksel Yilmaz, Director of "Radio X," a local VOA 
affiliate in Ankara, told us his station relies on VOA as 
its only source of news programming.  Yilmaz especially 
highlighted VOA's "Hello Washington" program, broadcast each 
Wednesday, which enables Turks from Ankara and across 
central Anatolia to call in toll-free to talk to Americans 
(particularly Turkish Americans) about life in the United 
States and substantive issues important to Turkey.  Yilmaz 
explained that more than 30 of his listeners take the 
trouble to call in each week, an indication that VOA has a 
significant following at the local level. 
 
4. Batuhan Yasar, Ankara News Chief at the conservative 
station TGRT, which carries VOA television broadcasts, said 
he has been getting increasingly positive feedback about 
"The Journal," VOA's daily short package of US feature 
stories.  Yasar added that many viewers use the VOA webpage 
as a "reference for reliable information."  He said it would 
be "wrong" to eliminate the service, a move that would "do 
nothing to help eliminate the prevailing anti-American 
sentiment in Turkey."  Yasar noted that TGRT has been 
actively engaged in discussions with VOA Turkish Service 
about ways to improve and diversify the content of VOA 
telecasts.  He lamented the fact that while the VOA Turkish 
Service faces cuts, VOA will continue to broadcast in 
Kurdish and Arabic, a fact highlighted in news coverage of 
the VOA story in Turkey's leading daily "Hurriyet." 
 
------------------------ 
VOA Audience on the Rise 
------------------------ 
 
5. As noted in reftel, the VOA audience in Turkey is 
increasing, and the Turkish Service is heard in a number of 
key countries and areas beyond Turkey's borders.  While 
exact numbers are elusive, we estimate that VOA broadcasts 
reach at least 4 million Turks each week - 2.5 million on 
television, and 1.5 million on radio.  This is not 
insignificant in a country with a total newspaper 
circulation of just over 4 million.  These numbers do not 
include visits to the VOA Turkish website, which more than 
quadrupled from 2003 to 2005.  In addition to VOA affiliates 
in Turkey, the VOA Turkish Service is heard by Turkish- 
speaking radio listeners on stations in Kosovo, Azerbaijan, 
and Kyrgyzstan.  The VOA Turkish Service is also carried by 
Turkish Cypriot TV and radio stations in northern Cyprus. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Comment: VOA Supports US Interests 
---------------------------------- 
 
6. One rationale put forward to support the proposed cuts in 
the VOA Turkish Service is that Turkey already has a free 
media - VOA's job here is done.  The problem is that 
Turkey's free media is notoriously unreliable.  Turks 
understand this better than anyone, which is why they seek 
out fact-based alternatives like VOA and the BBC.  The 
elimination of the VOA Turkish Service would be seen here as 
a lack of commitment by the United States to address anti- 
Americanism in Turkey.  It would also be interpreted by 
Turkey's active community of conspiracy theorists as part of 
a US "plan" to favor the interests of Kurds over Turks at a 
time of growing unrest in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish 
southeast.  Such an outcome would be extremely unfortunate 
at a time when our bilateral relationship is in a fragile 
state of recovery following a series of shocks related to 
neighboring Iraq. 
 
7. VOA is also very useful in giving prominence to areas of 
convergence between Turkish and US policy, thereby 
countering the relentless negativity in the commercial 
media.  The Prime Minister's visit to Darfur this week to 
deliver humanitarian assistance, which was widely panned by 
the Turkish media, is a good example of how more objective 
reporting could highlight a positive development and 
encourage additional steps.  Similarly, yesterday's 
important MFA statement of support for the UNSC decision on 
Iran was generally ignored in the Turkish press.  VOA would 
have undoubtedly given the story the prominence it deserved, 
thereby encouraging the GOT to continue to support the 
international consensus on Iran. 
 
8. The US stake in a productive and stable relationship with 
Turkey is enormous - from continued cooperation in 
Afghanistan to help in stabilizing Iraq to adding a Muslim 
voice to the international consensus on Iran.  The future 
development of our strongest and most democratic Muslim ally 
is key to the US effort to achieve democratization in the 
Broader Middle East.  A Turkey that is firmly and finally 
anchored in the West is critical to the United States and 
the wider Western world. 
 
9. Public outreach is one of the most important activities 
of this Mission, and is vital to achieving these goals.  We 
spend a great deal of time and resources in our effort to 
increase media standards and try to bring a more balanced 
picture of the United States and US values to a skeptical 
audience.  Our job isn't easy, and our message is frequently 
drowned out by the shouting and sensationalism in the 
Turkish media.  The VOA Turkish Service is an important 
factor in balancing the scales and setting a higher 
standard.  We believe there are opportunities to expand the 
VOA audience in Turkey, particularly on television in local 
and regional media markets with limited access to quality 
news programming.  Given what is at stake, it would be 
extremely shortsighted to nip those opportunities in the 
bud. End Comment. 
 
McEldowney