Cüneyt Özdemir

Cüneyt Özdemir (born 8 February 1970) is a Turkish journalist, television host and producer. He began his career in 1992 as executive director of 32. Gün, and has been the anchorman of the local and foreign affairs program 5N1K, broadcast on CNN Türk, since 2000.

Career Early career Özdemir started his journalism career in 1992 as the executive director of 32. Gün, produced and presented by Turkish journalist Mehmet Ali Birand.

In 1996, Özdemir became an international war correspondent, reporting from crises around the world including the Lebanese-Israeli border, Iraq and Afghanistan. Özdemir was given his first major assignment covering the Gulf War.

CNN Türk In 1999, he helped found CNN Türk and in 2000, began producing 5N1K, an international news program combining hard and soft news from around the world. The program has won several journalism awards.

Over the years, Özdemir has reported on major stories from conflict zones including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Palestinian territories and Israel. He has also covered the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and reported from Guantánamo Bay detention camp in Cuba (2006), the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in Stockholm (2007), and the political chaos in Libya (2011), including an interview with Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Between 2012 and 2013 he presented the program from London. In 2014, he reported on the Israel-Palestine conflict from both Gaza and Tel Aviv.

On 28 October 2014, Özdemir announced his departure from CNN Türk, to anchor the daily news bulletin on Kanal D. He hosted his first broadcast on 3 November 2014. On 7 August 2015, Kanal D announced Özdemir would be leaving his post as anchor of Kanal D, and returning to CNN Türk to resume his role at 5N1K.

In 2017, Özdemir reported daily on the Reza Zarrab case from in front of the courthouse, broadcasting live on his YouTube channel. He won the TV News Program Award from the Journalists Union of Turkey for his coverage.

In 2018, he presented Turkey's presidential election results live on his YouTube channel. The eight-hour broadcast was the most watched election program in Turkey, with 700,000 views. Before the election he interviewed various presidential candidates for his YouTube channel.

In 2019, he travelled to Caracas, Venezuela, to cover the socio-political crisis and attempted coup. While in Venezuela, he conducted an interview with Nicolas Maduro, the president's first interview after the coup attempt.

In March 2019, his seven-hour broadcast on the Istanbul mayoral election results was watched by 1.7 million viewers. He hosted the June 2019 Istanbul mayoral election show from the United States, which was watched by 1 million people and was the most watched election program that day.

At the end of 2019, Özdemir began broadcasting daily broadcasts about the COVID-19 pandemic on his YouTube channel.

Radikal newspaper Between years 2011 and 2014, Özdemir wrote for Radikal newspaper. Özdemir wrote 5 days a week at his column at Radikal. He has written extensively on political affairs, global issues, pop-cultural developments, Middle East and Europe at this column.

Dipnot TV

DIPNOT TV Company led by Cüneyt Özdemir continues to produce TV shows and documentaries. Özdemir created new business models in publicity, media and social media projects. His company also produces corporate promotion shootings, advertisements, viral videos both for internet and TV platforms as well as social media campaigns. Over the years Özdemir's production company has worked with numerous important clients including Akbank, Kalebodur, Turkcell, Vodafone, Google, Ericson, Coca-Cola, Efes Pilsen, Tuborg, Unilever, Chevrolet and so on.

Dipnot Production Company also undertook the production of a prominent European Union project called "We Have a Message". The company conducted this project with its partner Happy Idea and its participants TÜSEV (Turkish third sector trust) and Turk Journal. The project was carried out within the scope of civil society dialogue III/Media donation program. "We Have a Message" project aimed at ameliorating communities' perception and understanding of each other and also at increasing the participation of their citizens. The project also intended to emphasize the effects of European Union endorsements on social development with 8 short films and a documentary. Özdemir's company produced these films and documentaries.

The company is also a pioneer of digital media in Turkey. Özdemir launched the digital magazine Dipnot Tablet in 2009, focused on technology, entertainment and design. The online magazine Dipnot also covers politics and economics. Özdemir currently writes weekly articles for Dipnot Tablet.

Personal life Özdemir is married to Zeynep İnanoğlu. Their son was born in 2012.

His mother is of Turkish Meskhetian origin.

Works

Documentary Özdemir, Cüneyt. Everyone's Father Has A Story To Tell. 2000 Özdemir, Cüneyt. Money's Adventure. 2000 Özdemir, Cüneyt. Gold Handcuff to Water. 2000 Özdemir, Cüneyt. Maiden's Tower Legend. CNN Türk. 2000 Özdemir, Cüneyt. The Man Who Last Laughed: Kemal Sunal. 2001 Özdemir, Cüneyt. Football's Turkey Journey. CNN Türk, 2002 Özdemir, Cüneyt. Festival. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Love For Cars. CNN Türk, 2002

TV series Sağır Oda (The Deaf Room) producer

TV programs 32. Gün (32nd Day) Soruyorum (I Am Asking) Fark Yaratanlar (Changemakers) An Extraordinary Day

Books Özdemir, Cüneyt. Commander's Suspicious Death, Eşref Bitlis Case. İletişim Yayınları, 1988. Özdemir, Cüneyt. State of Mind. Parantez Publications, 1998. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Sound of Delusion. Parantez Publications, 1999. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Talks Without Ratings. Su Publications, 2000. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Maiden's Tower Legend. Su Publications, 2001. Özdemir, Cüneyt. I Was With Them But I Wasn't From Them. Doğan Books, 2003. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Out Of Focus. Yapı Kredi Publication, 2005. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Half Mind of Mine. 40 Haramiler Yayınları, 2006. Özdemir, Cüneyt. The Cage Of Hell. Doğan Kitap, 2007. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Agency Of High Affairs. Doğan Kitap, 2000. Özdemir, Cüneyt. Country That Has Lost Its Joy. Doğan Kitap, 2014. Özdemir, Cüneyt. "A Nation Is Standing: 15 July Testimonies". Doğan Kitap, 2016. Özdemir, Cüneyt. "Sunflower: Words Dried By Summer Sun". Doğan Kitap, 2018.