Internet Publishers Association (IYAD) was founded on 10th of February 2007 with participation of 43 founder members in total from 30 provinces of Turkey.
Association members consist of representatives of internet news websites in particular and representatives of many local newspaper, television, radio station and various media institution in country-wide. Across Turkey, there are over 2000 members of IYAD who are believing the necessity of being more effective and more organized in order to create a free and independent media power. IYAD continues its activities without profit making purpose and does not take any financial support from national or international institutions. It continues education activities in some matters such as local media and internet journalism in Media Academy (Basin Akademisi) founded within the its body. IYAD whose corporate identity and structure are growing stronger day by day, continues its activities based on voluntariness completely.
MAIN PURPOSE
Internet Publishers Association has adopted the concepts of freedom of expression, freedom of press with the uncensored internet and free internet. It emphasizes on the important of local media. Internet Publishers Association undertakes as a duty to reveal the necessary attitude and expression against attacks for these concepts continuing increasingly in today. It regards as its most important duty to present a corporate attitude next to its members in a case of any prevention or threat for freedom of expression and press with the freedom of information and freedom of journalism.
INTERNET JOURNALISM
Although internet press has reached an important place in Turkey and the world, and also has become a sector; IYAD has made various attempts because of the fact that internet reporters are not considered as journalists in Turkey. IYAD defends that internet reporters should gain the journalist status as well with the regulations to be made in press law numbered 5187 together with the law numbered 5651 regulating the internet publications.
STRUGGLE AGAINST INTERNET PROHIBITIONS
At the same time, IYAD continues its active struggle against policies such as forbidding internet websites and handicapping for their accesses which are applied in Turkey. It works for providing contribution for enlargement of effective area of internet journalism and local press, featuring rights and demands of members. Since it was founded, IYAD has proposed its expressions developed for internet prohibitions with reasonable demands of internet publishers and local media employees, and has taken its place among reputable press professional organizations of Turkey.