British quality newspapers? perception of Turkey?s European Union candidacy process (1999 Helsinki and 2004 Brussels summits)

The main purpose of this research is to analyse the reflections of Turkey?s European Union Candidacy process on the British Quality Newspapers by applying content analysis method. The sample of this research in terms of the process is the 10-11 December 1999 Brussels and 16-17 December 2004 Helsinki Summits. Turkey?s Candidacy for European Union is declared in Helsinki Summit and in Brussels Summit, the date of 3 October 2005 is determined for initiating the membership negotiations with Turkey. In the context of this sample, the news regarding the Turkey?s Candidacy for EU published at the dates of the two Summits - 10-11 December 1999 Brussels and 16-17 December 2004 Helsinki - and seven days before and after each summit are analysed by the content analysis method. Due to the research covers all the British Quality Newspapers in Britain, the newspapers that constitutes the universe of the research also constitutes the sample of the research.The content of the news in the context of the research are evaluated under the two titles: ?The contents that include support and prospect regarding Turkey?s EU Candidacy process? and ?The contents that include opposition regarding Turkey?s EU Candidacy process?.The outcome of the research is that; the ratio of the news content in the context of Brussels Summit regarding the Turkey?s EU Candidacy is bigger than the news content in the context of Helsinki Summit. In the context of the evaluation regarding the ?The contents that include support and prospect regarding Turkey?s EU Candidacy process? and ?The contents that include opposition regarding Turkey?s EU Candidacy process?, it is confirmed that the ratio of the contents including opposition is bigger than the ones including support and prospect for both of the Summits.