A hydra-headed crisis: Pandemics
In the global pandemic days, the way politics dealt with our common 'health crisis' once again proved that we need the independent media more than anything else for a truly functioning democracy.
In these extraordinary times, while the COVID-19 outbreak rapidly intensified the polarization already existing within the society in general, the health crisis has quickly morphed into a hydra-headed, i.e, socio-politico-economic crisis, thus Açık Radyo's fact-driven and science-based “foolproof” broadcasting is of vital importance.
Regarding this, we have inaugurated a daily new program called "Korona Günleri" [Corona Days] to which we’ve given a start during the very first days of the outbreak. The show is presented by one of our long-standing programmers, the world-renowned microbiologist and virologist Prof. Selim Badur. A trustee in the "Académie des Sciences", and an expert on the WHO's "Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board" Professor Badur has already been producing a weekly radio hour at Açık Radyo, “Önce Sağlık” [Health Comes First]. Now, on the “Corona Days”, with a view to separating the scientific medical facts from false information and “propaganda”, we follow, with Professor Badur, the most recent international scientific publications and thus observe how the world responds to the outbreak.
The social and aesthetical aspects of the pandemics have not been excluded either. Between May and November of 2020, the weekly show “Korona Günlerinde Aşk” [Love in the Corona Days], co-hosted by Ayşe Köse Badur & Selim Badur, has sought relentlessly the actuality of pandemics in daily life, and tried to grasp the evolving notions of touch & contact.
Another show called “Vakayiname” [Chronicles] have started just after the outbreak and covers the effects of the virus from the perspective of scientific communities (“biologists, doctors, healthcare professionals, mathematicians, social scientists, etc.) whose opinions and evaluations are rarely consulted. Harvard University professor of Philosophy and Neurology Güven Güzeldere is the host and producer.
Last but not least, “Salgınlar Çağı” [The Age of Epidemics: Health during the Pandemics] is another regular show on Açık Radyo. Produced by two renowned Turkish public health experts, Osman Elbek & Kayıhan Pala, the program covers the general dynamics of epidemics, including non-COVID-19 epidemics, affecting the world, with their causes and their speed rates of spreading. In the same vein, it deals with the problems of healthcare workers, the interpretation of social problems caused by the pandemic from an economic, democratic and ecological perspective, and the changes of meaning of the concepts of health and disease over time.
To these it must be added the daily reading of “La Peste” [The Plague], the masterpiece by the Nobel-winning great writer/philosopher/résistant Albert Camus, depicting the horrific days of pestilence and great stories of human achievement in an Algerian town under French colonization. These readings started almost right after the announcement of the global Covid-19 pandemics. And, Açık Radyo almost simultaneously started the daily readings of the “Psikoçöküntü Günlükleri” [Diaries of the Age of Psycho-deflation]by the great radio personality and activist/philosopher Franco “Bifo” Berardi. In the Diary, translated and read by our long-time colleague Prof. Serhan Ada “Bifo” charts the spiralling collapse of the social order as a consequence of COVID-19.
Besides, we also believe that we have the capacity to discuss many other different (social, philosophical, ethical, aesthetical, and political) aspects of the pandemic as well, thanks to our 230 volunteer programmers producing various content matter in 153 different programs, all keeping the pulse of the day when the health crisis is rapidly turning into an economic, social and psychological crisis.
On Global Climate Change and Global Justice
Açık Radyo, since its inception, has been actively engaged in the struggle waged against global climate change and global warming. It has continuously tried to amass scientific information and evidence of devastating changes in the atmosphere, oceans, ice cover, land, and biodiversity, and then to disseminate and share this information with the general public. In short, it has always tried to focus on what it deems to really matter.
Besides giving widest possible coverage to the greatest threat ever faced by the biosphere –which is caused mainly by fossil fuel corporations and affecting foremost the poor and the weak of the world– the editors and programmers of Açık Radyo have undertaken the rather painful task of organizing of and taking part in panels, conferences, seminars, TV/radio shows held on the issue around the country.
We have produced two separate live programs powered by solar energy on the subject.
Also, we have been among the main organizers of the 2005 Istanbul Climate March, which was held on 3 December 2005, in coordination with the global movement, to protest against global climate change. The meeting, the first of its kind ever, was held with the active participation of more than a thousand individuals.
In 2006, Açık Radyo also was actively involved in the organization of the Istanbul demonstration held as a part of the second international mass rally against global warming. The day of the rally in Istanbul, 4th of November, happened to be one of the coldest days and –at least until mid December– the only snowy day of the year. Nevertheless, there has been quite an active participation by at least 500 people.
Açık Radyo also participated in the "Stop Climate Change" march in 2007, and in the "Another Energy is Possible" rally in 2008.
In 2009, numerous programmers from Açık Radyo participated to the COP15 “Climate Summit” in Copenhagen. We followed the summit during all its 13 days and broadcast live every day. Açık Radyo also participated in the 100.000 - strong mass demonstration in Copenhagen. 17 hours of broadcasting have been accomplished during COP15 meetings.
Açık Radyo was also among the organizers of the Turkish “leg” of 10/10/10, the biggest global mass climate movement in history, an initiative of 350.org. At the end of the demonstration in Taksim, renowned thinkers and activists Noam Chomsky and Richard Falk were also present. Both of the leading dissident intellectuals made speeches for the occasion and these speeches were broadcast by Açık Radyo.
In 2011 Açık Radyo was present in COP17 in Durban, South Africa as well. The climate “summit” was covered live on a daily basis. On the last day of the conference hundreds of participants staged a sit-in in front of the Main Hall entrance before the plenary session, in protest over the lack of progress in the negotiations. They were properly “de-badged” and compelled to leave the UN conference building. The editor in chief of Açık Radyo was among them.
From 2009 onwards we went on to cover every COP (climate summit held by the UN) with live reporting, including the so-called historic Paris Summit in 2015. Our volunteer-reporters have also been present in all of the “alternative summits” held in parallel with the UN official summits, as well as taking an active part in all of the protests and rallies that took place.
In 2019, Açık Radyo became a part of the "Covering Climate Now" project, co-sponsored by The Nation and the Columbia Journalism Review. The project, with the participation of more than 200 media outlets, including The Guardian, aims to bring together media journalists and news channels, and to find more efficient ways for the media as a whole to publicize the climate crisis and the solutions brought.
In sum, the members of the Açık Radio “family” continue to be a part of the efforts to build a global mass movement to make sure that necessary steps are taken against the biggest crisis facing the planet before it’s too late.
A Homeresque Epic Broadcast Adventure: In these numerous, tens of thousands hour-long programmes that we've been making for 28 years, we embarked on a broadcasting journey that spans from Turkey to the world, from the North Pole to the South Pole, from the rainforests in the tropics fixed in a constant 100% humidity to the peaks of snow-covered -at least for the moment- mountains and from there to the bottom of the deepest seas.
A Colorful Palette: Theories, theorists, practices, practitioners, activists, combatants, economists, meteorologists, disaster recovery volunteers, politicians, lawyers, travelers, storytellers, rockers, rappers, artists, filmmakers, documentarists, nature-devotees, those that rise the sun in the solstice rites, Indians, blacks, Africans, Asians, Australians, those that lay down their lives for nature, Pacific Island natives that block and stop the giant oil platform in their tiny canoes, those that walk thousands of kilometers in Anatolia and open up a bit more in each kilometer, those that keep watch day and night in the Eastern Black Sea forests for days and even for weeks, those that go through the safety control nine times within a couple of hours to prevent the construction of a nuclear power plant, those that resist against gold mines, coal mines, nickel mines, uranium mines, plutonium ores and stone pits, those that get beat up, taken into custody and put behind bars only to protect the life of the planet, those that go on a hunger strike for an unlimited period in the presence of the authorities at the UN headquarters, those that are thrown out of the UN climate summit escorted by the UN police officers and "lose their ranks" immediately for making a fleet protest, those that are slaughtered by hired killers for protecting the environment against stone pits, those that insist on hanging on the masts while getting squirted pressurized cold water in a sea of ice, those that tell all the goings-on there on the radio, those that write, draw, melodize all these, pious long-marchers, non-believing or atheistic nature lovers, water-protecting natives, hermits, tree-dwellers, those that live the life of Tarzan, Anatolian leopards, lynxes, those that watch the birds migrate, those that pledge themselves to the protection and preservation of the planet, those that strive like a beaver, toil and moil humbly for this cause, ninety year-old woman resisters and more have found a place for themselves on this colorful programme palette...
COP 2008 Poznan: We were in a little over half of our broadcast life that another young environmental combatant came into our lives. Anna Keenan, a 24-year-old Australian activist woman, attended the Poznan climate summit in 2008 together with 4 friends, using trains and various transport modes -not a plane!- to come from Australia in 40 days and concluded her speech with the words, "One Planet, One Future!".
COP 2009 Copenhagen: Then, exactly 1 year later, we saw her on hunger strike at the Copenhagen Summit that started with high hopes and would end with great disappointment. She was one of the intergenerational combatants of the struggle for justice. She spoke into our microphone, saying, "We started our climate justice hunger strike on November 6. It was the final days of the United Nations climate talks held in Barcelona, the last talks before the start of the Copenhagen Summit. That was 32 days ago and I haven't eaten anything in over a month. It's been a very difficult month. I've had a lot of difficulty regarding self-discipline, my body and mind. But, it was incredibly satisfying at the same time. Many came and said they supported what we were doing there. People send their love and energy to us. This energy and support coming from all over the world is what really keeps us on track.
[...] We call this protest "Justice Hunger Strike" since it is entirely about justice [...] and it is an international and intergenerational act of justice. What international justice really means is that those living in wealthy countries have long been benefiting from world's resources. And this causes problems to the developing countries that have suffered the first and most. And this is what intergenerational justice means: our generation and the older generations have exhausted the resources very quickly. That alone means disaster for the generations to come. The same goes for my generation. I am 24 years old, in 2050 I'll be 65. If we do not solve this problem, we are going to experience the effects of climate change right within my lifetime."
Right to Moral Protest: Anna fully embraced that vital role of the "reporter" and protesting was a "moral right" for her: "We use our right to moral protest in the corridors of power in which the delegates of the United Nations meet. We're talking to the media. We will meet with delegates from all the important countries and tell them what we think and what should happen. We will get them to “feel” our messages.
2014: Historic Climate March and Children: New York: One of the most exciting "moments" covered by this broadcast spectrum was, without a doubt, the historic climate march held in New York City in the year 2014. Manhattan, swarming with a huge audience of 400 thousand people from all corners of the world, went on the books as a scene to remember. Another equally memorable thing was the way children and young people "dealt with" the situation. The knowledge, emotional levels, rhetorical skills, levels of creativity of these child environmental "combatants" on climate justice was striking to anyone! They were very much active, they were directly involved in the organization and they were fully aware of what they were doing... Third and fourth grade elementary school students were working as journalists for their newspapers, taking notes and asking questions such as, "what is your reason for being here?" For example, a 9 or 10-year-old said in a very simple sense: "I'm here, I'm here for the march, because if you don't stop climate change, I'm going to die when I grow up!"
"I want to live when I grow up too!" It was one of the rings of the uninterrupted struggle line of young people. This basic and unshakeable logic proposition of the 10-year-old primary school student and activist in 2014 was repeated in the same creative manner on a banner in the hands of another 10-year-old child in one of the truantry/school ditching strikes carried out in an endless horizon line spanning from Europe, especially Belgium, to Australia: "I want to live when I grow up too!"
Identical Twin of the Climate Crisis: The Collapse of the Biological Life: Dahr Jamail, a journalist, author and activist whose writings, speeches and actions we try to reflect with great care on Açık Radyo, quoted in his unique and wisely-written book The End of Ice, published in early 2019, Dr. Thomas Lovejoy's words, who is called by many the "godfather of biological diversity”, about the vital importance of biodiversity and what might happen on the planet if it were to be degraded from somewhere: "Everything... depends on the sensitivity of a couple of species. If they go, they will bring down the whole structure with them and no scientific modeling is going to pick that up... The ecological systems are great while they are working, but we don’t totally understand where the fuses are."
"The most basic issue of our time": Almost 40 years ago in 1980, Lovejoy wrote: "Hundreds of thousands of species will perish, and this reduction of 10 to 20 percent of the Earth’s biota will occur in about half a human life span…. This reduction of the biological diversity of the planet is the most basic issue of our time.”
Human Civilization is on the Rocks: However, Lovejoy believed that most people still undervalue biodiversity: "However, the phenomenon called biodiversity has made it possible for human civilization to come into existence by forming and maintaining the entire life base of Earth’s biosphere. Our presence has depended on an equilibrium that is now askew and on the rocks."
Into a dangerous and chaotic future - rapidly! As we were entering the 25th broadcast anniversary of Açık Radyo, we were caught up -much to our regret- in countless studies and news that show that life on the planet was rapidly shifting into one of the most dangerous and chaotic situations the world has seen in millions of years. Many news, from climate change to the extinction of all insects, to polar bears coming down to the streets of towns and entering people's houses in Russia, to the mass extinction of gulls in island countries, to the drowning of millions of fish in the rivers, to rises in sea levels, to images of ecological destruction, to the successive extreme hot and cold weather events, to ever-rising waves of forced immigration, to the rise of war and even nuclear war threats have been catching our eyes almost daily.
In What Age Do We Live? As a consequence of all sorts of "human" activities, especially burning fossil fuels, we are sailing towards the apocalypse in the Anthropocentric (human) age in which 150 to 200 species per day perish, never to come back. There are many thinkers who say that it would still be unfair to call it human age and calling it the "Capitalocentric" Age would be much more accurate instead. Jason W. Moore, known for his studies in history and the history of earth ecology, is one of those who developed and proposed this concept.
The End of the World, or the End of Capitalism? The Guardian columnist and activist George Monbiot also delivers a clear judgment in this context: "Ecologically, economically, politically, capitalism is as disastrously failing as communism. Like state communism, it is crippled by unaccepted fatal contradictions. However... as the famous saying goes: "'It is easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism!'"
Is it possible to "undo what is done?" Dahr Jamail, a war correspondent and environmental combatant, also expresses the impossibility of removing all the heat that has been vacated for all these years into the oceans and the atmosphere, recalling Lady Macbeth's midnight delirium after the murder: "What is done is done." The situation seemed really messed up.
But - wait a minute! Maybe a chance!
Here the new generation began to manifest itself in the streets, avenues and squares of the cities of the world. They're coming in masses! They march in hundreds of thousands, "Declaring Rebellion". They are the environmental combatants of our time!..
Children, who "dedicated their lives to preventing the worldwide ecological crisis in order to preserve the dignity and honor of all life" are now and here.
Gaia, Eve, Rosa, LaDonna, Tokata, Greta, Gail, Luisa, Carola, Amy, Naomi, Shara, Jane and many others - our women: So, from our "aboriginal" mother Eve, 130 thousand years before Gaia, Mother of all, to the legendary radio personality Amy Goodman who interviewed young mothers that made a "breast-feeding protest" in Britain with their few-months-old babies under the guidance of the Extinction Rebellion, to the water protector, native resistance fighter Tokata Iron Eyes who put her body in the oil pipelines in the Standing Rock 4 years ago and who invited her peer Greta into her tribe; from natives sailing to Australia 120 thousand years ago to Carola Rackete, the heroic ship captain, who received immigrants escaping from the war with open arms, who broke the ban of the fascist minister and arrived at Italy unauthorized and got arrested and her attempt to be arrested again with the Extinction Rebels in Berlin where Rosa Luxemburg, a pioneer in the concept of general strike, was murdered and dumped into the river and from there to the young academic Gail Bradbrook who initiated and organized XR - with Roger Hallam; we tried to reflect the voices of these women in our broadcasts.
The Extinction Rebellion (XR) Movement: Dr. Bradbrook, from this great rebellion in Britain, says that they studied social movements, were immersed in researches in the social sciences and thirdly, they listened to the voice of their own hearts before initiating this movement that grew at an incredible pace. Then she told Goodman that they performed a lot of exercises on civil disobedience, used their despair, grief and fear of the coming disaster as a fuel for setting out to occupy the streets, avenues, squares and bridges.
"Change the System, Not the Climate!” Gail Bradbrook said that we need to have a mature and thorough conversation about how we need to change the system to reduce the damage and stop this indefensible crime we have committed against ourselves and our planet. She talked about how we need to build a political, legal, cultural and economic system that will stop this ridiculous, stupid and revolting harm as soon as possible. And she added: "We need to find out how to re-establish intergenerational justice, and then how to repair this damage." Ecoslaughter crimes must become basic norms of international law, the Accused companies must be tried in a court such as the International Criminal Court in Rome. Secondly, she says, those convicted of the climate crisis and biological extinction must be sentenced to compensation penalty.
Collective Rebellion: Lastly, she adds, in the face of famine, hunger, "multiple breadbasket" failures and waves of immigration, everyone must come together and act as a great mass, working together (collectively) with all their might to recover this wonderful planet. Entering October 2019, the riot waves of the masses were almost everywhere and Açık Radyo was among them with its broadcasts.
From May 68 to September 2019: In May of 1968, students from all over the world took to the streets, revolting against the injustice and arrogance of the political order. Then they were joined by the workers. Now, 51 years after that, students were up and on the streets once again: this time for Climate Justice. International Labor Confederations, Social Work unions, public schools, municipalities, state assemblies, city assemblies, physician unions, scientists, theologians, retirees, old people with their canes and others...
"This is a Fire Drill": Famous Hollywood actress Jane Fonda, known for her non-stopping activism for peace, racial justice, feminism and the environment since the days of '68, got herself arrested by participating in the civil disobedience protests for the Climate Emergency declaration named "This is a Fire Drill" in front of the state house in the US capital Washington, hailed those who supported her by showing her handcuffs and summarized the matter by saying: "Inspired by the Swedish student, Greta Thunberg, the student strikers and Naomi Klein’s new book “On Fire,” I have decided to upend my life, leave my comfort zone and move to Washington, D.C. for four months to focus on climate change."
Once-in-a-Century Opportunity: Fonda invited celebrities, non-celebrities, experts, the residents of the climate-damaged towns to participate in the protests that would be made every Friday for 3 months and ended her speech saying, "This is a once-in-a-century opportunity to address the greatest threat to the future of our planet. I will be on the east lawn of the Capitol every single Friday, rain or shine, and would be honored to have you join me."
Out of the Mouths of Children and Keep on Following: Açık Radyo programmers and employees were also pursuing climate justice, of course. When? Now! Açık Radyo was learning the news out of the mouths of children. And kept on following.
Reporting on War and Peace
When Açık Radyo first went on air, the war in Bosnia had already entered into its culminating phase. It was, nevertheless, to go on with this mode of “slow motion” for many months to come. Açık Radyo, both with its word and music, unhesitatingly took sides with the underdogs: Throughout the war we have produced a daily live program called “The Bosnian Diary”, connecting by phone to the ordinary people of Sarajevo. From day one of broadcasting Açık Radyo continued to focus on the omnipresent cases of international violence.
It was one of the first media outlets in the world to perceive the coming threat of the illegal and unethical occupation of Iraq. 17 months before the invasion, Açık Radyo began to warn its listeners on such a possibility and even made a “scoop” on the so-called Rumsfeld Plan of 2001, through reading between the lines of mainstream newspapers. Açık Radyo commentators were also among the earliest –globally– to thoroughly expose the lies concerning the Saddam regime being an international threat with the so-called weapons of mass destruction.
Long before the invasion of Iraq, a daily half-hour news program called “The Peace Band” was aired regularly and this broadcast went on well after the invasion. Açık Radyo broadcast “live” –through telephone from London and New York– the huge global mass protests of 15 February 2003.
Açık Radyo was also the only radio station in Turkey reporting live the mass protestations in Ankara on March 1, 2003, the same day when the Turkish Parliament rejected the deployment of US troops on Turkish soil for the invasion of Iraq.
Finally, on 24-27 June 2005, the historical Final Session of the World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) –and the consequent Verdict of the Jury of Conscience– have also been broadcast live on Açık Radyo for four consecutive days.
Açık Radyo has strived to follow up on the world peace movement, the world justice movements, the Seattle and Cancún World Trade Organisation (WTO) meetings, the Porto Alegre and Mumbai meetings of The World Social Forum (WSF), the Genoa and Geneva meetings of The European Social Forum (ESF), The American Nations Summit, etc, from the “inside”, i.e., from outside the “embedded” media.
Reporting on the Uprisings for Democracy, Justice, and Dignity
Açık Radyo strives to diligently follow what is happening in the world; with special emphasis on the revolutionary uprisings of the 21st century. We started very early on talking about the wave of rebellion that was sparked in Tunisia. Açık Radyo programmers followed the developments in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Syria and other North African and Middle Eastern countries with many hours of programming.
We have also covered and are still covering the uprisings of the “indignados” in Spain, the “Occupy” movements all over the world, student movements in Chile, in Quebec, Canada, indigenous peoples’ and other peoples’ environmental movements in Brazil, Canada, USA, Turkey and elsewhere – basically all over the world.
Coverage on Independent Media
In 2006 Açık Radyo aired a 38-hour program series titled “Media Talks”. The project was supported by the Dutch government. 40 distinctive speakers including writers, journalists, newspaper, magazine publishers, radio and tv directors, legal practitioners, communication specialists, philosophers, researchers were hosted in the programs. These “experts” shared their views and experiences on vital media issues such as journalism ethics, the role of advertising, restrictions on the freedom of the press and the freedom of information, the functioning (or dysfunctioning) of ombudsmanship, teaching of journalism, environmental journalism, etc.
Additionally, the firm AC Nielsen conducted an extensive research exclusively for Açık Radyo concerning the “Reliability and Credibility of Turkish Media”. The results of the poll (quantitative and qualitative aspects) have been presented extensively on the “Media Talks” program.
As Açık Radyo, we have conducted an audience survey with KONDA, one of the most important research companies in Turkey, in the last days of 2018.
51 percent of the 3850 respondents were women and 49 percent were men. 17 percent of the participants were between the ages of 18-23, 43 percent were between the ages of 33-48, and 40 percent were between the ages of 49 and over. According to survey, 7 percent of participants are primary, secondary and high school graduates, 54 percent are university graduates, 26 percent graduate, and 12 percent have PhD degrees.
The majority of Açık Radyo listeners, described by KONDA research director Bekir Ağırdır, as "really special, that is, different from the country average and much more active in social life," describe the radio as "Open to the world and Turkey’s agenda, to innovations, ‘modern’, ‘warm’ and ‘fun”.
"The survey results show," says Ağırdır, "Açık Radyo is regarded as a ‘comrade’ – a bosom friend in the eyes of her audience, especially among her loyal audience."
On Disaster Preparedness
From day one of the great Marmara earthquake disaster of 1999 Açık Radyo started to perform as a “clearing house” for the civil society. We have quickly formed an Earthquake Communication Center (ARDIM), broadcasting on the disaster and the rescue efforts and aid for 24 hours for 60 consecutive days. We continue to produce to this day a program called “Golden Hours” on earthquake and other disaster preparedness. (NB: Rush transcripts of many of the specific individual programs have been posted on the Açık Radyo website.)
In 2000, on the first anniversary of the great 1999 Earthquake disaster, Açık Radyo produced and presented a 2-hour documentary on the event.
In 2009, on the 10th anniversary, another special series on the disaster was broadcast for a whole week.
In 2019, on the 20th anniversary, yet another special series on the disaster was broadcast for three days.
