The amateur weather forecaster error

 Kerem Ökten, “The coldest and snowiest days in the history of the Republic could be on the way” is a person who has gained fame on social media with weather forecasts such as. Following the post by Mikdat Kadıoğlu, Head of the Department of Meteorological Engineering at ITU, “I announce that we have no such graduate” his expertise and diploma came into question. 

   Following the reactions, Ökten also confirmed that he is not a "meteorology graduate," stating that he holds a "Master's degree in Accounting and Auditing." Although some websites indeed claim he is an ITU graduate, Ökten, on his social media account, describes himself as an expert in "Aviation, Space meteorology, Atmosphere, Weather forecasting." introduces himself as. 

      However, for the last few years, on TV channels and news websites, he is presented to the audience as a "weather forecasting expert," "meteorology oracle," or "extraordinary meteorology expert." Not only does he not object to these titles, but he himself EkoTürk in a broadcast on TV "As a meteorologist" he had said.

     News On Global On TV channels when asked why he did not object to being introduced as a “meteorology expert” he replied “..they say so themselves.” “I do it as a hobby.” he added. 

     It is wrong for Ökten to be introduced as an expert on screen. First and foremost, the expertise of a person brought on screen to share their views should have been verified. Introducing someone who has no expertise and has an accounting background as a "meteorology expert" is poor and misleading journalism.  

    Such a person could perhaps be interviewed on screen as an "amateur weather forecaster." However, when there are so many meteorology experts, meteorological organizations, and scientific institutions available, choosing an amateur weather forecaster is contrary to the obligation to provide accurate and complete information.  

   PRESS ADVERTISING AGENCY ENCOURAGES "CLICKBAIT"

     Press Advertising Agency General Manager Cavit Erkılınç, while defending the newly prepared Official Announcement and Advertising Regulation, was saying, “If you look carefully, you will clearly see that we have no business with those chasing 'clickbait'” he said. 

     If only the standards they set were, as Erkılınç claimed, for internet news sites “quality, originality, and professional values” if it had served to increase them. Unfortunately, contrary to what was claimed, the nine-month implementation did not reduce the use of SEO methods and the numbers race; it increased them. It led news sites that want to receive official announcements and advertisements to chase more “clicks” in pursuit of them.

    Yes, the regulation defends ethical values; it attempts to prevent common journalistic errors on the internet, such as distorting content in headlines, publishing news without attribution or sources, using disproportionate visuals, and blurring the lines between news and advertising. It also introduces a minimum staff requirement for the number of reporters, editors, and writers.

     But the regulation ties the ability to receive official announcements and advertisements to the condition of unique visitors, page views, and a minimum number of daily news items, in addition to technical requirements. These numerical conditions vary according to the six established categories. Publications aimed at all of Turkey “General category”while Istanbul-based publications are considered "first category"; publications in other cities are divided into four categories. For a news site to be in the "General Category", it must reach 500,000 daily "unique visitors" and 1.5 million "page views", and have 32 employees, 11 of whom must be reporters. It is required to post at least 240 news items every day. 

      In the "First Category," these numbers drop to 50,000 daily "unique visitors," 150,000 "page views," and a staff of 15, including 5 reporters. The number of daily news items to be published also decreases to 100.

       There is also the issue of the waiting period. News websites of newspapers that have the right to publish official announcements were not subjected to a waiting period. However, the waiting period for other sites to earn this right is 24 months. The only way to reduce this period to 6 months is “to reach twice the minimum staff and daily minimum content requirements, and four times the daily minimum number of unique visitors..."

       At the BİK (Press Advertisement Agency), a “Digital measurement system” is being established, and the quality of journalism is being measured through such figures. However, the quality of journalism cannot be measured by numbers. There are times when one single news story is worth hundreds of others. Sometimes you may publish dozens of stories, and they have no impact or lasting effect. The BİK is effectively forcing news sites to chase readers and viewers to reach those numbers instead of producing impactful, exclusive journalism.

    Indeed, because the numbers are high and the waiting period is long, the number of applications in the “General category” is quite low. To date, the BİK has included 14 sites, among them Akşam, Cumhuriyet, Sabah, Hürriyet, Habertürk, Diriliş Postası, Milat, and NTV, in the “General category” It has been included in the list of  “those eligible to receive official announcements and advertisements.” Twenty-four websites, including BirGün and Dünya, have been placed in the “First Category” list. 

   Gazete Duvar, Haberler, Tele1, and Odatv, along with 13 other sites, are currently in the waiting process. These sites have directed their editorial staff to meet the requirements set by the BİK (Press Advertising Agency), which include producing twice the amount of content and generating four times the daily traffic.  

     While writers are trying to fulfill the condition of writing at least two articles per week, reporters are unable to leave their desks as they constantly strive to produce bylined news stories. 

   Furthermore, applying from the first category instead of the general category BirGün and Gazete Duvar creates staffing issues on sites like these. They can only list 4 of their reporters outside of Istanbul as permanent staff. This creates an obstacle for those reporters to be covered under Law No. 212 and to obtain press cards. The problems on local sites are even more complex and intense...

    The Press Advertisement Agency (BİK) needs to change its regulations and analysis methods to save internet journalism from this vicious cycle. By keeping numerical requirements to a minimum, different methods such as expert reviews and evaluation boards could be utilized. Otherwise, BİK will not be able to escape the charge of encouraging 'clickbait' at the state's expense. 

    MURAT KURUM'S GAFFE

      As local elections approach, promises directed at journalists have started to come from AKP candidates.  

AKP's Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Nebi Hatipoğlu, "If we win the elections, we will provide all members of the press with a minimum wage from municipal companies" he said.

    He was announcing that he would use public resources to make journalists partisan and secure their support; he was openly offering a bribe. Rightfully, the Eskişehir Journalists Association also [responded to] Hatipoğlu's words describing it as a "promise of bribery" and condemned it. 

     AKP's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Murat Kurum also stated that if elected, journalists would be able to use the Marmaray for free, just as they do with other public transportation vehicles. This was also a "campaign bribe" promise.

     Unfortunately, far from objecting, Kurum expressed this promise upon a question from the journalists present. The journalists who received this pledge did not even correct Kurum's "I congratulate you on World Journalists' Day" gaffe; it was published in the news reports exactly like that. 

    However, “Working Journalists Day”has nothing to do with the rest of the world. January 10 is a day unique to Turkish journalism. It seems the institution celebrated journalists without even knowing the meaning of January 10...

   “THE GREAT CAUSE OF SOCIALISM” ADVERTISEMENT

    In Milliyet, there was a striking example of the transformation in the media, a “native advertisement” I saw it. As you know, anyone who pays can now get whatever they want published in our media. 

     The People's Republic of China also paid a fee and had an article published in Milliyet. Even in 6-point font on the side, there is no "This is an advertisement" warning. Readers likely assumed it was a news report from the newspaper.

     The interesting part is that the article describes the "great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics."Once upon a time in this country, talking about communism or socialism was a crime; "Communism will come this winter" The bogeyman was popular in the language of politicians. Nowadays, you can pay money and advertise the "great cause of socialism," and no one even cares... 

In a single sentence:

• Halk TV owner Cafer Mahiroğlu visited the CHP Esenler District Organization along with CHP Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik, CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, and party officials.
  

• Publishing the condolences of politicians regarding the 9 martyrs, Sabah did not report on CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's message or the cancellation of the Constitution rally.

• The Economy Journalists Association's (EGD) "Hello to the New Year and Commemoration Ceremony" event was sponsored by Martı TAG, Trendyol, Türk Telekom, and GTC İletişim.

• The Konya Metropolitan Municipality's "Şivlilik Children's Festival" titled "advertorial" page, was published in Akşam, Milliyet, Sabah, Yeni Akit, and Yeni Şafak newspapers without an "advertisement" disclaimer. On Habertürk, a live connection lasting over 8 minutes was also made with the Mayor during the news bulletin. In the pro-government media, including Akşam, Sabah, Türkiye, Yeni Şafak, and Yeni Akit, the visit of AKP's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality candidate Murat Kurum to Fatih Mosque Imam Galip Usta, who was attacked, was reported, while the visit of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was ignored.

• Korkusuz and Türkiye, in their coverage of the Dilan Polat story, referred to the Bakırköy Psychiatric Hospital as a "mental asylum," a term that is no longer in use and incorrectly describes the institution. The newspapers mentioned above failed to report on the visit of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu to the hospital, while highlighting the visit of AKP candidate Murat Kurum.

• This selective reporting demonstrates a clear bias in the coverage of the incident involving the Fatih Mosque Imam. 

• Hürriyet, in its report titled "Did aesthetics kill British Demi?" concealed the name of the clinic that performed the aesthetic surgery. 

• The information on sites such as Ekonomim, Gazete Oksijen, Tele1, and Süperhaber claiming that Zafer Party's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality candidate Azmi Karamahmutoğlu was elected as an MP from the MHP in 1991 and 1999 was incorrect. 

• The announcement that Murat Kurum was the AKP's candidate for Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality was on the front pages of all pro-government media; dozens of TV channels broadcast the program live.

• The statement made by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Uraloğlu to journalist Kemal Öztürk that "eight merchant ships go from Turkey to Israel every day" statement could not make it into the news in the pro-government media. 

• In reports regarding the child abuse case of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in the U.S., information about someone else with a similar name was provided instead of Banu Küçükköylü, who was mentioned in that file, and a photograph of another person who participated in the 1992 Miss Turkey pageant was used.  

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