Current Media Climate in Turkey

Posted byleahstruzenski Leave a comment on Current Media Climate in Turkey

BBC News has a profile on media in Turkey that outlines the top press associations, television corporations, radio stations, and internet sources. These media sources differ in ownership; some are privately owned, others are owned by the state, some Islamic-centered, some Kurdish. Below is the information from BBC News’ Turkey Profile in Media. I have added my own highlights to the media sources that I will be referencing most prominently in this post.

As a semi-democratic country, situated between Europe and Asia, media in Turkey is constantly under stress as it is pulled between a freedom of press ideology and the force of government censorship. Journalists face the constant threat of imprisonment. In 2018 the Committee to Protect journalists cited Turkey as “the world’s worst jailer for journalists.” The 68 journalists imprisoned in Turkey in 2018 are all facing anti-state charges.

The Doğan Holding and Private Media

Television is the most popular media form in Turkey (BBC) and up until March 2018, the Doğan Holding was the most powerful media conglomerate in the country.  The Doğan Holding owned Hurriyet, Posta, Kanal D, and CNN Turk. The media conglomerate was often accused of being biased against the current governing party. On March 21st, 2018, the Dogan was bought by Demiroren Holding, a pro-government corporation that has its hands in everything from tourism to oil to media.

This acquisition was a long time coming for the Doğan Holding. The New York Times cites that since 2009 the company has been at odds with the government: “the company was fined $2.5 billion for unpaid taxes, a decision widely seen as an attempt by the Turkish government to punish it for its criticism of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then the prime minister and now the president.” The owner of the company, Aydin Dogan, sold two of it’s newspapers to Demiroren in 2009, sparking the beginning of the full acquisition that occurred nine years later.

Demiroren’s ownership of the Doğan Holding’s media outlets will further limit free journalistic expression in Turkey in the media. Demiroren Holding owns all media that was previously owned by the Dogan Holding. The Istanbul-based company was founded in 1956  and is a powerful force: “it publishes newspapers; operates online news Websites and mobile applications, and an online news television, as well as Websites that provides information on sports, finance, and women; offers online real estate services; and owns and operates a high school. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Istanbul, Turkey” (Bloomberg.com).

Other Media Sources

In addition to those owned by the Demiroren Group and other privatized media companies, TRT is the only public, state-owned broadcast media company. Previously TRT owned a monopoly on media stations that the government overturned in 1989. Now, TRT is unique because it broadcasts in Kurdish, a movement implemented by the European Union to aid Turkey in efforts of inclusivity for minorities. TRT’s mission statement explains that they: “define our audience as global citizens with a global conscience and believe they deserve to be at the heart of the story… we hope to contribute to the narrative of how stories are told and channel in new perspectives of thought. In other words, we aspire for a better informed global audience” (TRT Website).

Turkish Media Breakdown by Company and Media Type: (From BBC News)

The press

Television

Radio

  • Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) – state broadcaster, services include cultural/educational network TRT 1, popular music network TRT 3 and Turkish folk/classical music station TRT 4
  • Kral FM – popular private network
  • Super FM – popular private network

Internet

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