enis berberoğlu

watch out for enis berberoğlu, the ankara representative of hürriyet.

berberoğlu is an alumni of some of the best schools in turkey, a career journalist, a no-nonsense economy writer and editor, a clinically precise analyst of social affairs, a first rate crime reporter and a knowledgeable commentator about what is currently happening in turkey.

i first noticed him during his coverage of the susurluk scandal 10 years ago, where the officials of the turkish state apparatus, with political sanction, were revealed to be in the throes of a tangled web of illegal afffairs and acts. berberoğlu, in fact, dug deeper into the mess and hit more pay dirt than a special parliament committee could .

he is of that genre of columnists who rather than rave as typical of turkish "corner writers", interpret what is news, so he is one of those rare birds in the turkish press, a news analyst.

at one time, possibly over the sacking of his wife, he quit hürriyet and went to radikal, to return some while ago. this can be read as beberoğlu having a good pull within the doğan media holding, enough to claim a fief against ertuğrul özkök, who is more office (and politicking) strategist than a journalist.

the only snag is that enis berberoğlu seems to be prone to catch the virus that oft plagues ankara journalists, top and bottom, the powerbrokering maker-breaker syndrome that like a fungus, sprouts on a presumption of omnipotence and omniscience. despite his probably strong immune system, berberoğlu occasionally appears to show the symptoms, though it would be unfair to declare him sick as yet.

if he puts his potential to it and of course if he is given free rein to do journalism instead of public relations for the boss and his gang, enis berberoğlu may be the man to lift the turkish media from the pathetic pit it is wobbling in, happier than hogs. he is the man who can redefine journalism in turkey.

yes, i acknowledge his capability, ability and potential but would i bet money on his success? no, not until the eu intervenes in the turkish media or a whole large chunk of western (not merely "foreign") capital hits the sector like a lightning.