Head of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Fahrettin Altun, delivered a speech at the "Reporter: Rethinking Journalism in the Digital Era Forum," organised by Anadolu Agency. Head of Communications Altun said, "You can be confident that if some previously reluctant states have decided to recognise Palestine as a state, our journalists, who have been practising their profession in the midst of genocide and persecution, have played a significant role in this."
Noting that the "Reporter" book, which has been revised, is the product of years of hard work, Altun said, "Actually, I also happened to have played a role in the development of this significant book years ago as an academician. Naturally, this book has developed, evolved, and taken on its final form in response to the new demands and challenges of journalism.''
Altun highlighted the concerning trend of well-established media outlets worldwide scaling back their investments in journalism and succumbing to the culture of social media. He stated, "In this context, it is evident that numerous well-established Western media outlets have increasingly turned to social media as a primary source of information. As a result, their channels have shifted towards functioning more like bulletin boards, constantly updating content rather than focusing on data journalism. On the other hand, you can rest assured that our country's well-established media outlets are actively opposing and striving to resist this process.
These well-established media outlets, specifically Anadolu Agency and TRT, not only deliver high-quality journalism but also serve as the voice of global conscience.
Today, we are discussing the book The Reporter. We have just recently hosted the premieres of the Evidence and Witness books, as well as the Evidence Documentary, which shed light on Israel's genocide in Gaza in front of the world. In essence, all three, Reporter, Evidence, and Witness, are the result of the same struggle for truth and justice.''
Recalling the immense efforts carried out in two lanes under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership ever since Israel started its genocidal operation in Gaza, Head of Communications said, "First, we have been striving to put an immediate end to the hostilities of Israel and the humanitarian crisis in the region. Secondly, we have been trying to call the international community to action in order to ensure that Israel's genocide and war crimes are documented and punished."
Noting that it is duty-bound to say that the truthful Turkish media has undertaken a very vital task at the intersection of these two efforts, Altun continued as follows: "Our journalists in crisis-ridden regions of the world, particularly Gaza, risk their lives while practising their profession to expose the brutality and humanitarian crises in all their forms. The reports of civilian massacres and footage of atrocities that journalists in Gaza have captured are devastating, but they serve the purpose of documenting Israel's war crimes.
Not only does this high-quality reporting from Anadolu Agency, TRT, and other respectable and well-established media outlets honour journalism as a profession, but it also supports Türkiye's diplomatic efforts.
If some previously reluctant states have decided to recognise Palestine as a state, Türkiye's diplomatic initiatives, as well as our journalists, who have been practising their profession in the midst of genocide and persecution, have played a significant role in this.
Let us take a look at the Russian-Ukrainian War, which is another example of a hot conflict. A comparable scenario is starting to take shape there. Türkiye has been striving to achieve a just peace as soon as possible since the onset of the Russian-Ukrainian War. This has been made possible through the trust it has garnered from both parties as a result of its righteous stance. The fact that our country has become an element of trust as a result of its diplomatic efforts and fair approach has also made it possible for our reporters working in the Russia-Ukraine war zone to practice their profession and provide a fair and just news flow."
Stating that deep-rooted media outlets can be followers and even developers of more constructive and positive agendas in the field of journalism, Head of Communications Altun said, "For example, today, Türkiye is a country that sets the agenda and leads the processes in the global arena, not only with its call for a fairer world but also with its call for a cleaner environment and a habitable world.''
Noting that despite technical and technological innovations in the journalism profession, one fundamental remains unchanged, Fahrettin Altun added: ''Journalism is fundamentally a quest for truth, a struggle for truth. It is the discovery of facts and the pursuit of truth. Whatever technology achieves, it lacks human qualities. We will make greater use of the possibilities of digital technologies to produce better journalism. With better journalism, we will encourage more people to be courageous and honest."