Gazete Duvar news website bids farewell to its publishing life!

The news website Gazete Duvar, which began its publishing life in 2016, has decided to cease operations.

It has been learned that the management of Gazete Duvar decided to shut down the news site after failing to reach an agreement during collective bargaining negotiations with the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS).

It was stated that Gazete Duvar experienced a decline in reader traffic and revenue due to Google's practices that negatively affect the readership of news sites, and that this situation was also a factor in the management's decision to shut down.

Gazete Duvar editor Ökkeş Taşkın announced that the decision had been communicated to the employees with the message: "It has just been communicated to me and my colleagues that Gazete Duvar is being shut down. Continuing with journalism..."

It has just been communicated to me and my colleagues that Gazete Duvar is being shut down. Continuing with journalism...

— Ökkeş Taşkın (@okkestaskin) March 12, 2025

THE GOOGLE PROBLEM IS GROWING

Due to an algorithm update implemented by Google, the visibility of a large portion of independent media and local newspapers on Google News and Discover platforms has significantly decreased.

According to regulations, independent media organizations must meet certain click and readership rates to receive advertisements from the Press Advertising Agency (BİK).

While Google's algorithm change, which reduces traffic to news sites, is being criticized for lacking transparency, no official statement has yet been made by Google.

It is known that in European Union (EU) countries, fines have been imposed on Google and other technology companies for similar reasons.

Google's algorithm change is being criticized as it is considered an interference with the public's right to access information.

REACTIONS TO GOOGLE'S ALGORITHM PROBLEM ARE GROWING

Google's non-transparent algorithm updates have been met with backlash from publishers as they have severely reduced traffic to news sites.

Internet media, which has faced drops of up to 90 percent in a single day, is in revolt.

Recently, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdülkadir Uraloğlu addressed media companies, stating, "I believe that if media organizations in Turkey initiate a legal process in this regard, we will support them."

Media outlets such as Halk TV and BirGün had also reacted to this situation.