Kenan Sönmez, the Chief Executive Officer of Ciner Group, stated that they will show their competitors a clean pair of heels in terms of technological era and said that "We will balance competition in the media within 3 years".
Kenan Sönmez, the Chief Executive Officer of Ciner Group, made a speech for Haberturk.com.
WE WILL BALANCE COMPETITION IN THE MEDIA WITHIN 3 YEARS
Kenan Sönmez: We plan to have our former position within 3 years in media sector as Ciner Yayın Group. We think that we will be a big alternative media group that will balance the competition in all segments of the sector within 3 years.
We departed from two channels in television. We plan to bring our main television Kanal 1 next to first 4 big channels until the autumn and prepare for the competition to become one of the 4 channels in new season. This is a difficult period, we are aware of this but we are proceeding according to our plans until now.
Kanal 1 especially formed very serious audience base in AB group. This became a serious alternative. We are continuing to make our preparations and investments. I have no doubt that it will become one of the main channels of television sector in new season.
HABERTÜRK was an efficient news channel when we took over it. However, there were technical deficiencies when compared with main players of the sector. We completed these deficiencies rapidly, we are trying to complete them. Habertürk has no deficiency from its components in terms of technical infrastructure and access. We aim that HABERTÜRK competes with sector leaders personally.
We are continuing to make investment on staff and program. We aim that HABERTÜRK competes with sector leaders personally. For this reason, we will continue to make our investments.
PRINTING HOUSE CONSTRUCTION WAS STARTED IN 4 CITIES
- It is known that newspaper studies were started, at which stage are the studies?
Kenan Sönmez: Printed media takes a serious place among our plans as Ciner Group. News newspapers issued by now in Turkey were prepared, printed and distributed in plants of others in the beginning. They passed to investment phase after having reached a definite market share. We do the opposite because we want to be one of the leader players in printed media. And we know that no one can compete with those offering those opportunities with possibilities of others. Thus, we purchased our lands in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Adana. We selected and ordered our machines and equipment.
We are establishing modern plants which produce 90 thousand newspapers per hour. We started construction of 4 printing houses a week ago. Mounting of our machines will be started in June. We will have opportunities to be able to give newspaper for the market in the beginning of next year.
Printing technologies of big groups in turkey are pretty good. However, technology we brought is the technology of 21st century.
- What will this technology bring from audience eyes?
Kenan Sönmez: We will start a new period in newspaper printing. Printed media has to have high technology as we did to be able to compete with electronic media. I do not want to go into detail now but I can say that difference to be perceived by the audience among the newspapers that we will produce in technology and newspapers of today will be impressive as much as the difference among technology before offset.
- Who will be in the staff? Did transfers start?
Kenan Sönmez: We are continuing to make studies on staff but I can say that its author, drawer and content will be impressive as much as its technology.
WE MAY HAVE SURPRISES IN TELEVISION SECTOR
What are your plans for internet sector?
Kenan Sönmez: We watch internet sector with interest, rapidly-developing sector in the world is also parallel in us. Internet sector of a country whose advertisement expenditures are around 20 percent grew over 200 percent.Of course, figures are small, we monitor opportunities and competences in the sector. We have a leader brand such as Haberturk.com We want to have an important place in the sector with organic or purchases.
May Ciner Group have a surprise in media? Are new purchases in the agenda?
Kenan Sönmez: We may have surprises in television sector, we want to grow our investments in this sector. Our priority is to place Kanal 1 among the first 4 of Turkey and provide that it has profits. However, we may have other surprises in this sector. We monitor the sector attentively. We will grow our operation in the printed media from within ourselves or with broadcasts that we will create but there may be new brands that we will incorporate in television sector.
