The lieutenant's footage was from three years ago

The day after the PKK's "symbolic" disarmament ceremony, Sözcü published a headline reading, "A half-hour show for 47 years of betrayal." Right below it was a news item titled, "The scoundrels have broken our hearts again at the last minute":

"Before the show, the PKK released footage on social media in the middle of the night belonging to martyr First Lieutenant Nuri Melih Bozkurt, whose body had not been found for 3 years." 

I scanned the digital universe; I was able to find the video showing Lieutenant Bozkurt's body not on social media, but on the ANF website, which is close to the PKK. The PKK members were speaking while showing the lifeless body of Lieutenant Bozkurt, covered in blood and dirt. The news report stated that Bozkurt, who was heavily wounded, died after saying his name.

However, this footage was not new, as written in Sözcü; it had been published approximately three years ago, on June 26, 2022. In Cumhuriyet dated May 31, 2022, and some other sites, it was stated that Bozkurt had "been martyred despite all interventions at the hospital." By releasing that footage, the PKK was also challenging the "statements that Bozkurt died in the hospital." 

But the mainstream media ignored the PKK's announcement that they had Bozkurt's body and the video for three years. That was until the announcement came earlier this month that 12 soldiers searching for Lieutenant Bozkurt's lifeless body in a cave in Iraq had died from methane gas. 

In the news report prepared by Cumhuriyet about the martyr lieutenant following these deaths, it was admitted under the headline "The hospital riddle" that the "initial information" that "Bozkurt was taken to the hospital heavily wounded" was incorrect.

Most likely, if that disaster in the cave had not occurred, this correction would not have been made; and if the PKK members had not held that ceremony on top of it, that sad footage of Bozkurt would not have been brought to the agenda. 

This shows that journalism based solely on official statements and whispers called "briefings" can lead to the production of such disconnected, incorrect news that is far from the truth. Military sources providing information to the media should make statements with their names attached so that the public knows the source of the error; the media should not take on their responsibility. 

 It is also wrong for Sözcü to present that inhumane footage from three years ago as a new development following that ceremony in Iraq. Even if someone other than the PKK shared it again on social media, they should have checked it before presenting it as new.

Even if you are against the process being conducted with the PKK, you must remain loyal to the truth.

Agos's reaction to AA regarding the cathedral

 Anadolu Agency's (AA) news report, "The 'conquest mosque' in Ani, where the first Friday prayer in Anatolia was performed, is being restored," caused concern in Agos. In its headline on July 11, "Will the thousand-year-old Ani Cathedral be opened to visitors as a mosque?", it was stated that "AA's news brought to mind that there is a thought towards opening the cathedral to visitors as a mosque." 

 There is no information in AA's report about whether the historical structure will be opened as a mosque. It only includes the words of the Ani Archaeological Site Excavation Head, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Arslan, that Sultan Alparslan "converted the cathedral into a mosque after the conquest and the first Friday prayer was performed there." 

I asked a friend of mine, and they visited the structure, which is still under restoration; they sent photos from there. It seems the restoration, which was planned to be finished in 2024, will continue for a longer time. The sign next to the building, which is surrounded by scaffolding, also says "Ani Cathedral," not mosque. There is not the slightest preparation or change regarding the opening of the cathedral as a mosque.

 Looking at it in light of this information, it is understood that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism also accepts the historical structure as a "cathedral." In this case, it is wrong for it to be written as a "mosque" in AA's news, especially in the headline. If there really is a plan or preparation such as converting the cathedral into a mosque, the news should have been written in a way that includes that information by asking the authorities.

Let us not forget, news does not create question marks; it answers questions. AA's news, however, creates question marks and confusion for no reason. 

Mediatical errors on Sputnik 

 The subject of Ali Çağatay's program on Sputnik Radio was the ownership structure of the media and the line they follow. I hadn't listened to his speech on the July 7 program; I just heard it.

 While listing pro-government TV channels, Çağatay said, "NTV, which looks like a sterile channel, is also pro-government," and "Demirören Group is the battering ram of the pool media." He then used the epithets "chief sycophant" and "pornographer" for Ahmet Hakan, and "rag" for Posta, Takvim, and Güneş. Such very harsh and derogatory labels should not be used in objective media criticism. 

Using the word "fed" (besleme) for Sözcü newspaper is also harsh and stigmatizing. Moreover, he did not present any information or data to the listener regarding the claim that this newspaper is "financed by the CHP."

Expressions such as "there are many cannon fodder (kurşun asker) in the opposition media," "there are people receiving salaries from the municipal budget," and "there is a rotten front there too" are also generalizations. If there are indeed journalists confirmed to be receiving salaries from municipalities, they should be named. When you say it without giving names, the entire "opposition media" is put under suspicion. Instead of separating the sinner from the innocent if there are any, putting all opposition journalists into the "cannon fodder" mold is at the very least an injustice.

There was also a factual error in Çağatay's narrative. Namely, Yılmaz Özdil and his friends are not at the head of Sözcü TV. They managed the channel for a short time during its establishment. The owner of KRT TV also changed after the election; now Fırat Bozfırat is the apparent owner. The union met with him on behalf of the employees who were protesting because they could not get their wages.

He called NOW TV an "American broadcasting organ," Medyascope a "broadcasting organization financed by American funds," and Halk TV "one of the CHP's broadcasting organs, its flagship." It is also wrong to define media organizations by putting them into such general templates. As a matter of fact, Sputnik Radio, where Çağatay made this broadcast, is also a broadcasting organization owned by Russia. But Çağatay can freely express his opinions on the program within the framework of editorial independence.

Milliyet's praise of the government regarding Libya 

Milliyet's headline "To Benghazi after 11 years" heralded that preparations were being made for "the consulate general to resume operations after 11 years in Benghazi, where the Haftar administration is dominant" in Libya.  In the sub-headline, it said, "Those who trust Turkey win."

Yet the Haftar administration had not trusted Turkey! On the contrary, it had fought against Turkey, which supports the administration in western Libya. Despite this, Haftar maintained his position in the east of the country, and in the end, Turkey had to accept cooperation with him as well. 

President Erdoğan reacts to those who say, "What are we doing in Libya?"; he would say, "We cannot remain indifferent to what is happening in Libya. There are Arab brothers in this country who are not subject to the coup plotter Haftar. Haftar wants to destroy them too." The pro-government media also described Khalifa Haftar as a "coup plotter" and a "terrorist." 

This information is not provided in Milliyet's headline "To Benghazi after 11 years," and it was deemed sufficient to state that "the operations of the consulate general in Benghazi were suspended in 2014 due to the civil war," as if such a conflict-ridden process had never been experienced between Turkey and Haftar's forces.

Journalism, even in foreign policy, looks out for the benefit of the country and all its people, not the political power. For this, it does not hide mistakes or failures, and does not cover them up. It conveys the truth in all its simplicity and completeness, even if it is sad. It does not hide information and does not turn news into praise for the government.

Massage before the car test 

A reader named Hikmet Atacan criticizes some "automotive journalists," as well as "influencers" and "YouTubers," for doing "covert car advertising." Giving an example by saying, "Everything is liked by the car companies under the guise of 'we are reviewing cars'," he said:

"In the video published the other day, there were those three car publishers. People named Doğan Kabak, Aslan Batur, and Fahir Talib. Batur defines himself and Kabak as journalists on YouTube. 

In the video they published on social media, the car company first gives them a massage, then has them 'test' their cars. And in the video, it is written, 'Here is the cool drive... The legend is now on the roads.' The car suddenly becomes a legend!"

 I also looked at the video Hikmet Atacan mentioned; he is very right. Automotive journalists first get a massage by saying, "Relaxation therapy for a more refined drive. Let the knots be released," and then they test that company's vehicles. You'd think they were going to hit the F1 track!

However, these "massage" images have become such a subject of ridicule on social media that they couldn't even review those vehicles. But anyway, the same brand had taken Doğan Kabak, Aslan Batur, and Özge Karakaya to France a few months ago, and they had published a video about the new model while they were there. 

Unfortunately, the number of automotive journalists who behave like this in Turkey is not small at all. They do not approach the automotive sector critically and independently; they do "covert" advertising. They protect the interests of companies instead of the interests of the consumer. Of course, not all of them behave like this, but...

Also, we come across those who do covert automotive advertising among journalists who follow politics or sports and broadcast independently on YouTube. Since they don't feel bound by ethical principles, then they shouldn't say "We are journalists" and at least say clearly that they are doing advertising...

In one sentence:

• The newspaper that received the most July 15 advertisements this year was again Yeni Şafak with 27 pages; Türkgün published 17, Sabah 11, Hürriyet 8, Milliyet, Türkiye and Yeni Akit 7.5, Akşam and Aydınlık 6.5, Dünya and Posta 6, Daily Sabah and Diriliş Postası 4 pages of advertisements each. 

• Yeni Şafak commemorated photojournalist Mustafa Cambaz, who lost his life during the July 15 coup attempt, again this year by organizing a photography contest and holding a ceremony at his grave; it showed a great example of loyalty even though nine years have passed.

• Türkiye newspaper did not use the statement of Minister Mehmet Şimşek, who denied the news "Şimşek: I expect an interest rate cut this month"; Hürriyet wrote, "Denial of interest rate news."  

• The claim denied in the post by the Communications Directorate's DMM, which was called "baseless allegations put into circulation over a public order incident that occurred in our Istanbul province," was unclear.

• In Takvim's news "After Mohamed Salah, Lucas Torreira also bought a villa in Bodrum. Prices have skyrocketed," there was no information about which "world press" these reports were written in.  

• Ahmet Sözcan from TGRT said, "There were also those who said that the cabinet revision was postponed to September. However, I received backstage information that there could be some activity within this week. The critical date is Thursday this week," but the change he expected did not happen.   

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