What is happening at Sözcü TV? Former employees share posts about Yılmaz Özdil one after another!

Journalist Yılmaz Özdil, who was brought in to head the Sözcü TV Media Group, has bid farewell to the institution.

In a statement made on his own YouTube channel following his departure, Özdil said, "I have left the Sözcü Group. We will talk about why I left. We will continue to call a 'zübük' a 'zübük', cuckoo eggs cuckoo eggs, a thief a thief, and to expose the parasites trying to nest in the Six Arrows (Altı Ok)."

BROUGHT IN FOR THE SECOND TIME, 14 PEOPLE PARTED WAYS

Özdil, who was part of the management in the early days when Sözcü TV was established, left his post shortly after, only to be brought back as the President of the Sözcü Media Group in December. With Özdil's arrival, 14 people were let go. 

SUCCESSIVE POSTS FROM FORMER EMPLOYEES

While Özdil's resignation remains a hot topic, former employees of Sözcü TV have made successive statements.

Muratcan Altuntoprak, who bid farewell to Sözcü in February, reacted to Özdil and his management without naming names. In a post on his X account, Altuntoprak stated, "They anchored Turkey's most-watched news channel from the top two spots to 6th place. The circulation of Turkey's most-read newspaper dropped by 15 thousand."

Altuntoprak's post is as follows:

“What was his duty? 

What was it that he resigned from all his duties? 

Even though he had no duties, why did he leave dozens of laborers unemployed in the middle of winter?

Let me tell you what happened…

The day they arrived, they claimed they inherited a 'wreck',

That wasn't enough, they said 'our experience is 300 years', 

They anchored Turkey's most-watched news channel from the top two spots to 6th place. 

The circulation of Turkey's most-read newspaper dropped by 15 thousand. 

That wasn't enough, they said 'our political muscles are strong, now we will do tabloid journalism',

That wasn't enough, they 'felt honored by the existence of some people',

That wasn't enough, they became 'Tügva' followers,

That wasn't enough, they said 'he gathers more sympathy than his father',

That wasn't enough, they said 'a communication model we haven't seen in previous ministers'…

In his own words, he who had 'no duties' continues his life as 'nothing', just as he started. 

What happened, happened to a huge brand that was built from scratch with labor and effort over 3 years, and which set the agenda. 

And it happened to the dreams and hopes of young journalists like us who worked with enthusiasm…

But no matter what, we will continue to produce and report the news. Let this be a trouble to them.”

Görevi neydi?
Neydi de tüm görevlerinden istifa etti?

Hiçbir görevi olmamasına rağmen kış ortasında niye onlarca emekçiyi işsiz bıraktı?

Ben size olanı söyleyeyim…

Geldikleri gün ‘enkaz’ devraldıklarını iddia ettiler,

Yetmedi ‘tecrübemiz 300 yıl’ dediler,

Türkiye’nin en…

— Muratcan Altuntoprak (@altuntoprak_m) April 6, 2026

"THEY PUT US OUT THE DOOR WITHOUT EVEN MEETING US FACE TO FACE"

Another post came from Meral Danyıldız. Danyıldız, who was laid off upon Yılmaz Özdil's arrival, noted the following:

“Sözcü TV and Yılmaz Özdil polemics are still being made. We didn't open our mouths, but we know what we went through.

They put us out the door without even meeting us face to face. I have been struggling with unemployment for months. I sweated for three years at that institution.

Some of us are working as waiters, some of us are living on unemployment benefits. Moreover, we continue to report the news; with zero earnings. This passion keeps us standing.

My only income is the support of 4000 subscribers I receive via YouTube. I couldn't even develop that due to costs. Everything is strange, but wasn't what was done to us strange?”

Hâlâ Sözcü TV, Yılmaz Özdil polemikleri yapılıyor. Ağzımızı açmadık ama yaşadıklarımızı biz biliyoruz.

Bizi yüz yüze bile gelmeden kapının önüne koydular. Aylardır işsizlikle mücadele ediyorum. Üç yıl ter döktüm o kurumda.

Kimimiz garsonluk yapıyor, kimimiz işsizlik maaşıyla… https://t.co/B5Jd2PDqaV

— Meral Danyıldız (@meraldanyildiz) April 6, 2026

News Source: 12punto