Home > Current Affairs News > Faruk Bildirici draws attention to the 'Iliç mobilization' in pro-government media! 'Are journalists writing these texts?'

Faruk Bildirici draws attention to the 'Iliç mobilization' in pro-government media! 'Are journalists writing these texts?'

While 21 months have passed since the disaster in İliç, Erzincan, where 9 workers lost their lives, the increase in similarly themed news reports in pro-government media advocating for the reopening of the mine has sparked controversy. Media Ombudsman Faruk Bildirici asked, “Are journalists actually writing these texts? Or are these texts prepared by advertising agencies for Anagold Mining, the operator of the mine in İliç, being published in exchange for payment?”

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In the İliç district of Erzincan, 9 workers lost their lives in a disaster that occurred at 14:28 on February 13 at the Çöpler Gold Mine site, operated by the Anagold company, where approximately 10 million cubic meters of soil collapsed.

Despite 21 months having passed, the fact that pro-government media outlets have been publishing consecutive reports in recent weeks advocating for the resumption of operations at the mine in İliç has drawn attention.

Media Ombudsman Faruk Bildirici pointed to these 'news' reports, which repeat the same patterns, and highlighted an important issue.

Bildirici stated, “From Sabah to Hürriyet and even Yeni Akit; from Süperhaber to CNBC-e, news and interviews in the same vein have been published in dozens of media outlets for the last month,” and raised the following question regarding these publications:

“Are journalists actually writing these texts? Or are these texts prepared by advertising agencies for Anagold Mining, the operator of the mine in İliç, being published in exchange for payment?”

The entirety of Bildirici's statements is as follows:

"Are the news reports calling for the opening of the mine in İliç paid for?

These days, whichever television channel, website, or newspaper I look at, I see news reports saying, “Life has stopped in İliç,” and “The public wants the gold mine to be opened.” There is practically a campaign underway, especially in the pro-government media. 

From Sabah to Hürriyet and even Yeni Akit; from Süperhaber to CNBC-e, news and interviews in the same vein have been published in dozens of media outlets for the last month. 

Moreover, most of the texts published as news are copies of one another. When one reads them, one cannot help but wonder: Are journalists actually writing these texts? Or are these texts prepared by advertising agencies for Anagold Mining, the operator of the mine in İliç, being published in exchange for payment? 

If they are paid texts, they should include a disclaimer stating “This is an advertisement” to avoid deceiving people. If they are products of journalism, these texts are very deficient; it would take a lot to call them news. There is no mention of what measures have been taken to prevent a new accident, nor is there any opposing view… They are one-sided propaganda texts...

Nine people lost their lives as a result of insufficient precautions being taken at that mine and warnings in reports being ignored. Does it befit journalism to forget the deaths of those people and to lend support to a campaign preparing public opinion for the reopening of the mine without investigating whether sufficient precautions have been taken or whether the consequences of the accident have been eliminated?

In journalism, human life has no price; it cannot have one. Journalism is not done for gold companies to become wealthier, but for all people, for the public interest."