Senay Özdemir, the first Turkish TV host and producer in Europe, founded the monthly woman's magazine SEN  in March 2004. SEN's demographic is Mediterranean women aged 20-35 living in the Netherlands. With using the term ‘Mediterranean’ for her magazine target group, which was by then only used for Italian, Spanish or French people she surprised many when the magazine’s target group was also for young Muslim women in other countries around the Mediterranean Sea. For three years she managed the staff of editors, directors, designers, photographers and writers. SEN (since 2007 only available in digital version) showcases the personal success stories of Mediterranean women who participate fully in Dutch society as students, professionals, and civic activists. It highlights the stories of refugees who are integrating into the broader society. Articles cover professional ambition, education, fashion, society, culture, and the arts. Ms. Őzdemir writes a question-and-answer column that tackles a wide range of topics, from guidance on birth control practices, to helping a depressed friend, to how to request a salary increase. The magazine nurtures young talent by providing internships to journalism students.  Seven months after it was launched, SEN was elected “Best New Magazine of 2004” by De Volkskrant, one of the leading newspapers in the Netherlands.  By 2005, SEN's monthly circulation reached 20,000 issues, and in 2006 the magazine expanded into Belgium. In January 2007, the magazine dropped the print format and became an online publication (www.senmagazine.com). 

 

Senay Őzdemir and her work have been profiled in many Dutch and European magazines, but also in the International Herald Tribune, the New York Times, Foreign Policy and Austin American Statesman. She was guest editor in chief of other magazines as VIVA (woman's magazine, circulation 120.000 weekly) and Intermediair (weekly magazine for high educated Dutch people, circulation 270.000 weekly).

 

In 2007 she participated to the International Visitor Leadership Program and traveled throughout the USA. The same year she spoke at the International Women's Conference in Bangalore, India. In 2008 she participated at the SAVE-platform in Vienna, as women against terrorism. In October 2009 she was one of the participants of the Apeldoorn Conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which was organized by The British Council. The central theme of the conference was "Trust, social cohesion, citizenship and the state in an economic down turn" with four sub themes: Trust, leadership and the role of the state, Globalisation, migration and the labour market, Solidarity and supporting the vulnerable in modern societies, Human rights and communities. From December 2008 she worked for The University of Texas at Austin where she was invited as a visiting lecturer at the School for Journalism.