Endeavoring to establish an imperial news agency: the Ottoman Telegraph Agency. (19th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Uçan, Ceren
• Is Part Of: Turkish studies. Volume 21:Number 5(2020)
• Page Start: 750
• Page End: 771
• Publication Date: 2020-10-19
• Subjects: Correspondenz-Bureau -- Havas -- Ottoman Telegraph Agency -- Reuters -- Wolff's; Turkey -- Periodicals; Turkey -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Turkey -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; Turkey -- History -- Periodicals; 956.1
• DOI: 10.1080/14683849.2019.1682560
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1468-3849

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Contemporary challenges in world politics, technology, economics, and social structures made suppliers of news significant for the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century. To preserve the Empire, policies that promoted centralization were pursued for decades. Improving transportation and communication systems was part of this centralization policy. However, because these technologies arrived in the Empire several years after its European counterparts founded, established, and extended these systems, it became dependent on foreign news agencies for supplying news. Finding their news biased and in favor of their home governments, Ottoman statesmen first tried to win them over by means of allowances and privileges, but enjoyed little success. As a result, the Empire founded the Ottoman Telegraph Agency. This article attempts to contribute to Ottoman press history by examining the creation of that agency.