Following CHP leader Özgür Özel's "boycott" call, all eyes turned to the mainstream media.
It was observed that Özel's group meeting today was broadcast live by mainstream media outlets NTV, TV100, and Habertürk. Other channels close to the government, namely CNN Türk, A Haber, TGRT, and Haber Global, did not "cover" Özel's group meeting.
WHAT HAPPENED?
On Sunday evening, March 23, in Saraçhane, Özgür Özel had stated, "I will announce one by one those who earn money from us, get their ratings from us, and serve the palace; we will all use our power derived from consumption together."
Özel first touched upon the boycott in a speech he gave at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) building on March 22, where he accused media organizations that did not respect the confidentiality of the investigation during İmamoğlu's detention process and did not cover the protests.
Stating that they would begin the boycott starting Monday by using their power derived from consumption, Özel said they would boycott not only the media organizations but all companies affiliated with them:
"70 percent of those who watch you are those who vote for us. If I consume the products of your other firms or watch your advertisements, I am a coward. Go ahead, don't cover it, go ahead and continue being 'penguins,' just like in the first two or three days of Gezi.
You will open your restaurant, you will sell your food to us, you will make us shop at your market, you will sell the car you brought from abroad to my voters, and then when these disgusting things happen, you will switch to the other side.
He tells me that many calls are coming from above. I will bring you calls from below, from the millions, from the tens of millions.
Everyone will know their side. Either be neutral, or from now on, we are on the opposite side of you. I am speaking to those who appear as news channels but act disgracefully because 'calls are coming from above.'"
Following Özel's speeches, it was observed that many boycott lists were shared on social media.
Tens of thousands of posts were made containing hashtags such as #Boycott and #BoycottList. The topics rose to the top of Turkey's trending lists.
News Source: 12punto
