The “Truth and News: Field Experience in Journalism” session was held as part of the “National Youth Summit on Combating Disinformation 2026,” organised by the Directorate of Communications.
The session, moderated by Kasım İleri, Head of the Department of Strategic Communication and Crisis Management at the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, featured Cemal Coşkun, General Manager of Demirören News Agency (DHA); Mustafa Kartoğlu, Editor-in-Chief of Akşam Newspaper; Mücahid Eker, Deputy Director General of TRT; and Nazlı Çelik, Editor-in-Chief of Star News, as speakers.
In his remarks, Kasım İleri emphasised that disinformation is not a new phenomenon, but rather a problem that has existed since the beginning of human history. He stated, “I believe that at no point in history has it been this fast and complex. The biggest factor behind this is digitalisation. In a digitalised world, information circulates at an exceptionally rapid pace. That is the first factor. The second is ease of access. As information circulates, the number of people it reaches has increased day by day and has now reached its highest level.”
Speaking at the first session, DHA General Manager Coşkun said: “The most effective way to prevent false information, misinformation and disinformation is accurate information. Accurate information must circulate more rapidly than false information.” Star News Editor-in-Chief Çelik underlined: “In the past, information was scarce; today, trust is scarce. What we call the truth filter is the responsibility to close this trust gap.”
Akşam Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Kartoğlu stated: “Simply repeating everything one hears is enough to generate fake news. Simply reposting everything one sees is enough to spread it.”
TRT Deputy Director General Eker said: “TRT has today designed its entire institutional structure in line with the responsibilities of being the public broadcaster of Türkiye, which has become a rising and stabilising power both in its region and across the world.”
