Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş delivered a farewell speech in the studio with his colleagues for the last time after a trustee was appointed to the channel. Toktaş stated that they were unable to bid farewell to the viewers on a live broadcast because they could not take control of the master control room.
Stating that the channel was transferred to the TMSF at midnight, Toktaş said, “A channel that has been broadcasting for roughly 20 years has been seized as Turkey’s new normal. It was seized in a midnight operation. The TMSF was appointed as the trustee. We could not take delivery of the master control room; if we had, we would have bid you farewell on air.”
Toktaş explained that they recorded a video with his colleagues since they could not broadcast, saying, “We could not say goodbye on air, but we will try to make our voices heard in some way. We do not know how or through which channels that will be at the moment.”
Evaluating Halk TV’s editorial line, Toktaş said, “We tried to be the voice of Turkey here. Turkey’s largest and most-watched news channel has been seized. In fact, the right to know is being obstructed. Because everyone working here worked for the public’s freedom of the right to receive news.”
Toktaş said that the channel was not seen merely as a professional television operation, and that they acted with the responsibility of keeping a record of the process Turkey is going through. Reminding that they broadcast on various topics such as the İliç, Cerattepe, Akbelen, and Narin Güran files, Toktaş expressed that they tried to make the voices of victimized segments heard.
Saying, “Journalism does not end, these days will pass,” Toktaş argued that what happened would not contribute to press freedom or democracy. Toktaş noted that employees had been subjected to attacks in the past, and that they had faced arrests, broadcast suspensions, and threats of frequency cancellation, yet they still tried to maintain their editorial line.
Calling out to citizens, Toktaş said, “Halk TV broadcast for years with the slogan ‘You are not alone.’ We would like to feel the public by our side.” Claiming that the channel was also being pressured economically, Toktaş argued that the processes targeting Halk TV owner Cafer Mahiroğlu also developed within this framework.
Toktaş concluded his speech by stating that they do not yet know in which medium they will continue from here on, saying, “We acted with the consciousness of standing on the right side of history. It will be the same from now on.”
News Source: 12punto
