Turkish Media Research Articles

Exploring Gender and Homicide: Insights from Turkish Media Professionals of Generations X, Y, and Z

This study examines how media professionals interpret homicides committed in Turkey and depict murder suspects. The article aims to analyse how journalists from different generations respond to, negotiate and resist the editorial ideology that frames gender-based violence from an anti-feminist perspective. The study includes in-depth interviews with nine media professionals from X, Y, and Z generations and forms conclusions about the helplessness of women, the necessity of murder, involving the female suspect. The study reveals that media professionals reproduce gender roles by employing masculine language, and their commitment to “so-called” objective journalism restricts the critical examination and analysis of facts from a feminist perspective. The study demonstrates that journalists, whether consciously or unconsciously, contribute to the dissemination of manipulated messages by reproducing them without conducting thorough analysis. The perspectives of Gen X, Y, and Z Turkish media professionals on gender and murder provide valuable insights into evolving societal attitudes and media representation. It is crucial for journalists and media professionals to critically analyse their biases and strive for fair, inclusive, and responsible reporting that promotes gender equality and challenges harmful stereotypes.

Understanding the Contribution of Conventional Media in Earthquake Risk Communication

To mitigate the damage from and prepare for disasters, individuals and communities should be involved in the disaster risk reduction efforts. Communicating the risk effectively is the essential step of this involvement. Risk communication is a multidisciplinary field. Disaster managers have to work closely with the media, among other partners, but there is a gap in their understanding of each other’s roles. This study aims to explore the process of publishing and broadcasting earthquake information through the experiences of media professionals, to understand how journalists and news organizations function before and after disasters, and to provide evidence to help bridge the gap between disaster managers and/or public health authorities and disaster journalists and/or news organizations., especially in earthquake preparedness. Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with editors/journalists from national newspapers and TV channels. A good context for investigating these issues is afforded by the megacity Istanbul and the Turkish media. Turkey is a land of earthquakes. A further strong earthquake is expected to hit in the near future. The findings, which gave valuable hints for better collaboration, are presented according to the focus of the question guide: time of and norms for publishing or broadcasting news or information about earthquakes; content of the news or information; disaster journalism and guidelines.

Media Framing of Conflict: Exploring Its Influence on International Perception in Turkey

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the media framing of conflict: exploring its influence on international perception. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Media framing of conflict in Turkey significantly shapes international perceptions. The study found that Turkish media often portrays conflicts through a nationalistic lens, prioritizing government narratives and emphasizing Turkey's role as a regional power. This framing influences how Turkey is perceived globally, aligning with official policies and agendas. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Agenda-setting theory, framing theory & social identity theory may be used to anchor future studies on the media framing of conflict: exploring its influence on international perception. Media practitioners should prioritize ethical reporting practices that promote balanced and nuanced coverage of conflicts, avoiding sensationalism and bias. Policymakers and international organizations should recognize the significant role of media framing in shaping international perceptions of conflicts and incorporate this understanding into conflict resolution strategies and diplomatic initiatives.

Media Systems and Media Capture in Turkey: A Case Study

This article attempts to explain the current situation of the Turkish media system through the media systems approach as a case study with special attention to the concept of media capture. We propose that the Turkish media system’s shift is heavily influenced by media capture. We associate four of Hallin and Mancini’s media systems concepts related to the effects of media capture in the Turkish media system shift: rise of political parallelism, erosion of journalistic professionalism (ethics), controlling role of the state, and government-friendly ownership concentration. In explaining the shift from a pluralist polarised to captured<em> </em>media in Turkey, we acknowledge the potential for new, independent, and alternative media to emerge. The article also comments that the potential reason for this shift from a captured liberal to a captured media in Turkey is the climate of fear that has allowed successive governments in Turkey to attempt media capture. In general, this article attempts to provide insight into the current relationship between media and politics in Turkey.

Stimulation of the collective memory of the 1999 Turkey earthquake through the Turkish media coverage of the 2023 earthquake

Turkey has been struck by several powerful earthquakes. Since the 1999 earthquake was the most recent and devastating earthquake before the last one happened in February 2023, many of these media channels’ depictions of the 2023 earthquake in Turkey may have been impacted by the collective memory of the 1999 earthquake. Collective memory of disasters and conflicts frequently takes on special significance as a mechanism for society to cope with the catastrophic events they have witnessed. Collective memory aids societies in dealing with the consequences of such events by giving a feeling of continuity as well as a structure for interpreting and comprehending what occurred. The media and social media are important in developing and conveying collective memory. They play an important role in framing events, transmitting details, and providing a forum for public debate. Social media, in addition to traditional media, has emerged as an innovative platform for the construction and diffusion of collective memory. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the Turkish media depicted the collective memory of the 1999 earthquake in the aftermath of the 2023 earthquake. If the collective memory of the 1999 earthquake is invoked in media coverage of the 2023 earthquake, how is it depicted in terms of lessons learned, public response, and influence on Turkish society? The study’s findings indicate that the analysis of Turkish media coverage pertaining to the 2023 earthquake has demonstrated a restricted collective recollection of the 1999 earthquake.

Sexual Harassment, Gender-Based Discrimination and Mobbing in Newsrooms: Qualitative In-Depth Interviews with Women Journalists in Turkish Media

This study examines the experiences of women journalists working within the highly patriarchal media industry in Türkiye, which is facing an increase in femicide and gender-based violence. Through in-depth interviews with 12 women journalists working in the industry, this study aims to give voice to women journalists who are subject to discrimination and harassment in newsrooms across Türkiye. The interviews were conducted with journalists aged between 24 and 52, all of whom are based in the three largest cities İstanbul, Ankara, and İzmir. In addition, the journalists are currently working in some of the highly popular media outlets. The findings of the thematic analysis indicate that female journalists encounter a range of challenges within the media industry. These challenges include but are not limited to sexual harassment, glass ceiling, discrimination, mobbing, wage inequality, fighting against masculine language in the newsroom, and peer bullying. The results reveal that these issues persist across a variety of categories, highlighting the prevalence of gender discrimination within the media industry. In summary, the study demonstrates that women journalists face a complex array of challenges that require concerted efforts to address and overcome.

Banal misogynism in Turkish media at the beginning of the multi-party era: the case of Boşboğaz

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyse the cover cartoons of the Boşboğaz [Bigmouth] magazine to reveal how misogynist attitudes were reproduced in Turkish media representations of women at the beginning of the multi-party period. The interpretive content analysis method is applied to front cover cartoons, the analysis is also feminist in the sense that it focuses on misogynistic representations of women. The results reveal that urban women are represented as exploiters of wealthy men, victimising both the men and their wives in the process. Hence, urban women are depicted as cunning predators. Paraphrasing Michael Billig, who introduced the term ‘banal nationalism’, it would be appropriate to describe the depictions of women in the Boşboğaz magazine as a case of banal misogynism since they contain illustrations of everyday scenes, captioned in everyday language.

Institutional suicide as anomie: decedents speak out for work-related suicides through a Durkheimian exploration of suicide notes in a context without institutional responsibilization for suicide prevention.

Drawing on Durkheim's historical theorization of suicide, we extend his concept of anomic suicide, which is suicide due to a lack of social regulation, to introduce the concept of institutional suicide. We define institutional suicide as suicide due to the absence or decline of institutional policies, practices, and discourses for prevention. In this study, we explore the mechanisms for institutional suicides based on suicide notes Turkey, in a context without institutional responsibilization for prevention. Turkey provides a significant context for studying institutional suicides as policies, practices, and discourses for suicide prevention have been declining for some decades. Drawing on publically available suicide notes and narratives in Turkish media outlets, we analyze 17 suicide notes and responses from their institutions of work and friends, family, and colleagues. We identify two mechanisms that lead to institutional suicides: (1) dehumanization due to lack of recognition and (2) misrecognition through a devaluation of potential. We extend the theory of anomie to institutional settings and offer social policy suggestions to improve institutional responses based on co-design based on suicide notes to prevent institutional suicides and call for institutional responsibilization for preventing work-related suicides.

Türk Medyasında Hamas-İsrail Çatışması: Analiz ve Değerlendirme

Bu araştırma, 6-7 Ekim 2023 tarihlerinde başlayan Hamas-İsrail çatışmasının ulusal medyadaki sunumunu liberal basın kuramı çerçevesinde detaylı bir içerik analizi yöntemiyle incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Özellikle, Türkiye’nin ulusal basınında etkin bir dağıtım ağına sahip olan gazetelerin, çatışmanın başladığı tarihten itibaren beş gün boyunca yayımladığı haberleri ele alarak bu haberlerin içeriğindeki farklılıkları ve benimsenen yaklaşımları ortaya koymayı hedeflemiştir. Araştırma, Hamas-İsrail çatışmasının ulusal medyadaki yansımalarını anlamak amacıyla liberal basın kuramı perspektifinden gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma, Türkiye’nin ulusal basınını önemli ölçüde temsil eden gazetelerin, haber başlıkları, spotlar ve haber içerikleri ile birlikte sayfadaki konumlandırması üzerinden derinlemesine bir içerik analizi sunmuştur. Gazetelerin bu olaya yönelik farklı yaklaşımlarını ortaya koymak ve haberlerin tarafsızlık, taraflılık, haber ile yorum ayrımı gibi kriterler açısından nasıl değerlendirildiğini incelemek, temel odak noktası olmuştur. Bulgular, farklı gazetelerin Hamas ve Gazze ile ilgili farklı pozisyonlar benimsediğini gösterirken, aynı zamanda bazı gazetelerin daha hakkaniyetli bir yaklaşım sergileyerek her iki tarafın perspektifine yer verdiğini göstermiştir. Bu çalışma, medyanın çatışma haberleri üzerindeki etkisini daha derinlemesine anlamak ve çeşitli perspektifleri ortaya koymak için önemli bir adım atmıştır..

Framing displaced persons : An analysis of Turkish media’s use of migration metaphors on Twitter

In recent years, social media has been recognized as instrumental in shaping the discourse around displaced persons, particularly through the power of metaphorical framing. Given that online communication can lead to real-world consequences for individuals, X (formerly known as Twitter) now stands out as a crucial platform for discussing migration issues in Turkey. However, while Twitter holds significant sway over public discourse in Turkey, there remains a research gap concerning its role in migration-related metaphorical framing. This study, employing critical metaphor analysis (CMA), delves into the metaphorical representations associated with the terms göçmen (‘migrant’), sığınmacı (‘asylum-seeker’), and mülteci (‘refugee’) in the tweets of four major Turkish media outlets: Hürriyet, Haber Türk, Sözcü, and Cumhuriyet. The findings reveal a predominant negative framing of all three terms, with göçmen and sığınmacı often equated with crime and mülteci with objectification. Also, the political inclination of the media outlets played a role, with those aligned closer to the Turkish government showcasing fewer negative frames. In conclusion, the study highlights the profound impact of media’s metaphorical framing, revealing its capacity to color public perceptions about displaced populations, a phenomenon accentuated by the specific terms chosen and the media’s political leanings.

Narration of Financial Crisis in Turkish Media

Türkiye has been struggling with a serious financial crisis which led to the Turkish currency(TRY) losing about 30% of its value against the US dollar, the rising of inflation, and borrowing costs since the first quarter of 2018. The public understanding of these developments concerning a large number of people who are apart from the terms of economics, comes from a variety of narratives that involve simple cause-effect relationships. These narratives are mostly constructed and circulated by mass media by using various frames. The frames chosen by the media to portray the crisis affect the public’s perception and attitude. In the scope of these problems, this paper aims to reveal and analyze the dominant media narratives about the currency crisis of 2018 in TÜrkiye. For this aim, two opposite-wing newspapers’ websites, Sabah and Sözcü, are chosen and their news about the currency crisis from two different weeks are analyzed. Thematic content analysis and narrative analysis are used to reveal the dominant frames and interpret them. According to the results of the research, both newspapers construct narratives that focus on behaviors that do not bring structural criticism to the neo-liberal global order. However, the focus of the two newspapers as responsible for the crisis and the solution narratives they offer are different from each other.

News Frames as Islamophobic Narratives: Radicalized Concepts

Media meets individuals' information/news needs, entertains them, and influences their political preferences through the content it produces. In addition to these fundamental functions, media, which also has many functions that can shape everyday life, plays an important role in constructing/determining meaning in an individual's mental world. The increase in Islamophobia, which has become a global problem, has also been influenced by the problematic nature/editorial policies of international and national media outlets. The media, which produces content with a form that dictates how individuals should think about Islam and Muslims, and what meanings should form in their minds, shapes the mental world of individuals with the meaning frames it creates. This study aims to understand in what frames news about elements known as Islamic clothing/appearance, such as headscarves, hijab, veiling, turban, thobe, taqiyah, and beard are presented in the Turkish media. Therefore, news articles on the websites of media organizations named Sözcü, Cumhuriyet, and Halk TV, which were selected through purposive sampling, were analyzed using the framing technique. The research findings indicate that concepts related to Islam and Muslims are presented in a radicalized manner, framed with negative narratives and that Islamophobic thinking patterns are conveyed to individuals.

Investigating the Differences & Similarities: A Comparison of Turkish and Pakistani Media Educational Systems

This article is an attempt to compare the Pakistani and Turkish media educational systems with the view of revealing the similarities and differences between them. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that there are no previous studies attempted at examining and comparing Pakistan’s and Türkiye’s media educational systems. The study comprises 10 media faculties/departments of public sector universities from each country under study and applies descriptive content analysis to investigate the underpinned research subject through the websites and prospectuses of the faculties and/or departments. The present research lays out theoretical dimensions and statistics of Türkiye and Pakistan’s media educational systems, comparing and contrasting the statistical figures in terms of Ph.D and/or non-Ph.D faculty members, foreign Ph.D faculty members, male-female ratio, degree programs, facilities (campus radio station, TV station), publications, the ranking of the media faculties and departments. This comparative study aims at highlighting the gaps and proposing solutions for improving the quality of Pakistan’s media educational system, as media is an integral part of our society and it is the fourth estate.

“Soft Power” as a Part of Turkish Foreign Policy in Georgia

This study examines the strategic use of soft power as an integral component of Türkiye’s foreign policy in the South Caucasus region. The author explores the strategies and mechanisms by which Türkiye projects it’s cultural, economic, and diplomatic influence in the region. It also examines Türkiye’s purposeful efforts to improve its image, authority and significance in Georgia. Paying special attention to cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, humanitarian aid and economic partnership, the paper reveals how Türkiye seeks to shape its perceptions, develop cooperation and strengthen its geopolitical position. Methodologically, the study is based on case studies of Turkish soft power in Georgia. In addition, the author analyzes the general framework of Turkish policy in Georgia using the historical-descriptive method. The content analysis of Turkish media and other Turkish cultural agents such as TV shows, films, serials, etc. was used to understand how Ankara uses soft power to promote its cultural and political interests in Georgia. Through empirical analysis, the study examines specific examples of Türkiye’s soft power initiatives, including the promotion of the Turkish language and culture, educational scholarships and humanitarian aid. In addition, the study examines the perception of Türkiye’s soft power initiatives by the local population and assesses their impact on regional dynamics. The findings emphasize the multifaceted nature of Turkish soft power and the consequences of its use for Georgia. Given Georgia’s Christian majority, Türkiye relies on secular instruments of its soft power, while not giving up religious influence on the Muslim communities of Georgia.

Representation of Minority Women in Turkish Streaming Media: The Case Study of Kulüp

The discussion on representation, from individual perspective to societal one, has experienced a huge jump in media and cultural studies recently. Throughout this process, the meaning of "representation" has reconstructed, and it is considered not only as an individual issue but also with its relation to the society or a specific group. This study aims to illustrate representations of women who come from minority ethnic and religious communities in Turkey. In this study, the representations of Sephardic Jewish women and Rum women in Turkish media are analyzed through a TV series broadcasted on Netflix. The case study of Netflix’s Kulüp (The Club) is chosen for this study to be qualitatively examined by focusing on the conceptualization of representation of minority women. Theoretically, the episodes of the series are analyzed within the framework of feminist critical theory by the help of critical discourse analysis.

Distinct Boundaries? Preferences of Immigrants’ Descendants Regarding Partnerships with Recent Refugees from Syria and Afghanistan in Germany

Abstract This study examines the preferences of young people from the majority group and minority ethnic groups in Germany regarding partnerships with recent refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. On the basis of a factorial survey experiment implemented in the year 2022 in the 9th wave of the CILS4EU-DE data, we demonstrate that young people in Germany – both with and without migration background – are much less favourable to partnerships with refugees compared to partnerships with native Germans. Of all respondents, young people who either themselves or whose parents come from Turkey are most opposed to partnerships with refugees. Particularly those who tend to extensively consume Turkish media and those who identify more strongly with their origin country are more negative about partnerships with refugees.

«Նախիջևանի միջանցքի» գործարկման վերաբերյալ Իրանի և Ադրբեջանի ակնկալիքները

Taking geopolitical situation after the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan put the issue of the so-called "Zangezur corridor" on the agenda. Baku is trying to achieve two strategic goals: to close the land connection between Armenia and Iran and to get out of Iran's dependence on the Nakhijevan issue. However, Azerbaijan, faced with the opposition of Armenia and Iran, changed its strategy. In parallel with its aggressive policy against Armenia, Baku began negotiations with Tehran on the construction of a new route connecting Nakhijevan through Iranian territory. In parallel with the aggressive policy of Azerbaijan in the issue of the so-called "Zangezur corridor" Baku for the first time since March 2021 began to consider the territory of Iran as an alternative way of establishing communication with Nakhichevan. In March 2022, Hikmet Hajiyev, Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the President of Azerbaijan and Assistant to the President, in an interview with Turkish media during the "Antalya Diplomatic Forum" held in Turkey, first stated Baku's intention to connect Nakhichevan through the territory of Iran. A few months after Hajiyev's statement, Ramil Usubov, secretary of the Azerbaijani Security Council, and Jeyhun Bayramov, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, also proclaimed Baku's aims to link Nakhichevan through the territory of Iran. By manipulating the issue of the "Nakhijevan corridor," Azerbaijan is trying to divert the attention of countries that are interested in preserving the territorial integrity of Armenia from its initiatives to forcibly open the so-called "Zangezur corridor. On the other hand, by implementing joint projects with Iran, Azerbaijan is trying to stress its role in relations with the West and Israel, expecting political and financial support from these important actors in exchange for refusing to participate in these projects.

The Securitisation of News in Turkey, Journalists as Terrorists?, Natalie Martin (2020)

Review of: The Securitisation of News in Turkey, Journalists as Terrorists?, Natalie Martin (2020) Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 134 pp., ISBN 978-3-030-49380-6, h/bk, £49.99 Transmediality in Independent Journalism: The Turkish Case, Dilek Gürsoy (2020) Abingdon: Routledge, 114 pp., ISBN 978-0-36785-913-8, h/bk, £44.99 Discourse and Identity in Turkish Media, Süheyla Nil Mustafa and Ayşe Dilara Bostan (eds) (2021) Oxford: Peter Lang, 188 pp., ISBN 978-3-63182-234-0, p/bk, £31.00 Journalism in Turkey: Practices, Challenges, Opportunities, Devrim İnce and Yurdagül Bezirgan Arar (eds) (2020) Oxford: Peter Lang, 304 pp., ISBN 978-3-63182-886-1, p/bk, £51.00

“Bu Televizyonda Gördüğüm Terapi Değil”: Medya Temsilleri, Psikoloji ve Türkiye'de Terapi Uygulamalarındaki Değişim

Despite increasing engagement with digital platforms, television, especially within Turkish entertainment culture, keeps its principal position. The most debated TV programs are those covering psychological issues. The interpersonal relationships covered by the psychology-related serials on Turkish television are praised by the audience. However, because the behaviors and attitudes of psychologists/psychiatrists seem not to be professional and because the way they hold their therapy sessions is very rare, these serials also are harshly criticized by mental health professionals. This article aims to analyze the representation of mental health professionals in Turkish TV serials, try to answer how psychologists/psychiatrists find their fictionalized images, and if these media contents increased the interest in psychology. The article is based on a descriptive study. The relationship between the increasing number of psychological serials and the interest in psychology is analyzed through the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The results suggest that increasing numbers of psychological serials positively correlate with the interest in psychology. The outcomes also suggest that the increasing number of psychological soap operas on Turkish TV channels is related to a high understanding of psychology, that psychology-related scenarios will be handled by directors in more detail, and that both the audience and psychology professionals are aware of the psychological scenes and patterns on the screens. Nonetheless, although mental health professionals are pleased with the interest they receive through TV programs, some found psychology-related TV shows capable enough to represent psychology in the Turkish media to some extent while some others think that the representation of their profession is either inadequate or amateurish.

Orienting a Nation: The Turkish National Anthem Controversies

As Turkey’s ruling elite founded a nation from the collapsed Ottoman Empire in the early 1920s, competitions for the Turkish national anthem’s lyrics and musical setting did not immediately yield clear winners. The original winning composition by Ali Rıfat Çağatay draws on Ottoman-era musical and literary conventions; however, the anthem was redacted six years after selection and replaced in 1930 by the current national anthem by Osman Zeki Üngör, a work iconic of European anthems yet infamous for its “broken” prosody. The anthem’s prosodic errors and enigmatic selection process have fueled national debates since its adoption. I argue that the Turkish ruling elite’s selection of a national anthem reflects the challenges of a broader nation-building project premised on rejecting a presumed Ottoman past and oriented towards the modernity associated with the imagined West. More broadly, I assert that understanding the anthem genre requires interrogating the Eurocentrism of non-European anthems that would seem to seek to emulate European exemplars. Exploring nearly a century of anthem controversies in Turkish media and film illuminates how prosodic errors have served as an innocuous proxy for politically sensitive topics, including tensions over religion in public life and governance as well as the Turkey-US relationship since the Cold War. On the other hand, the many-layered meanings within the anthem as well as its iconicity of the nation have enabled those acting in the name of the state to deploy the anthem as a tool of violent state coercion to discipline nonconforming subjects.