Reality Crime Programs in Turkish Television: The Notorious Case of Palu Family on Müge

Abstract

The crime drama has always been popular on radio and television. Following this popular programming type, these programs found its way into reality crime programs. The reality crime programs emerged in U.S television in the late 1980s as the combination of news, crime dramas, and even horror genre. The reality crime programs placed themselves mainly in two formats in the television world. There is a vignette format where actors reenact actual crimes, and another one is the live-action format. It is the 1990s for Turkey to introduce reality television to the audience. One of the popular programs that were first broadcasted on ATV in 2008 hosted by Müge Anlı is the Müge Anlı ile Tatlı Sert. After we discuss the popularity of the reality crime television and the cases from American television, MATS is discussed as a certain criminal case from Turkey. This case is publicly recognized as Palu Family. This article argues how the case of the Palu Family became a televised public psychosis in MATS which is a hybrid reality crime program. With this regard, we will study family violence, sexual abuse, and homicide that have become publicly available to the audience. Keywords: reality TV, reality crime programs, infotainment, crime, Turkish television, Müge Anlı