The Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, said, "Today, Türkiye is fighting for global justice and truth not only in our region but also worldwide. We are of the opinion that these two challenges must be pursued in tandem and that success can only be attained in this manner. Justice and truth are two fundamental values that are inextricably linked, and fighting together for truth and justice is an honourable stance."
Speaking at the opening of the "Türkiye Publishing Summit: Opportunities and Challenges in 21st Century Publishing" programme organised by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications at Rami Library, Head of Communications Altun emphasised that the summit would address a broad range of topics, including digital publishing, reading culture, public broadcasting, children's literature, the impact of artificial intelligence on publishing, global challenges in the publishing industry, and steps to further enhance Türkiye's publishing ecosystem.
Head of Communications Altun stated that the summit aims to bring together experts, stakeholders, and public institutions in Türkiye's publishing sector to establish a discussion platform while also raising awareness of publishing-related issues within society.
Head of Communication Altun expressed that as the Directorate of Communications, through the works they publish, they strive to produce policy documents for the public sector, government, and administration with each book. Simultaneously, they endeavour to communicate Türkiye's justified stance, rightful theses, and the political vision of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to both national and international publics.
Stating that their primary effort and goal as the Directorate is to further enhance Türkiye's reputation as a rising regional power and global player under the leadership of President Erdoğan, Head of Communication Altun emphasised that they, on the other hand, are working to counter systematic disinformation and black propaganda attempts produced by actors who are uncomfortable with Türkiye's growing strength and its role as a decisive actor.
"Justice and truth are two fundamental values that are inextricably linked"
Head of Communications Altun said, "Today, Türkiye is fighting for global justice and truth not only in our region but also worldwide. We are of the opinion that these two challenges must be pursued in tandem and that success can only be attained in this manner. Justice and truth are two fundamental values that are inextricably linked, and fighting together for truth and justice is an honourable stance."
Head of Communications Altun stated that as the Directorate, they strive to contribute to this struggle within their field by utilising strategic communication and public diplomacy tools, adding:
"Through the Türkiye Communication Model, which we are currently in the process of institutionalising, we strive to introduce unique practices. In this context, we also consider book and magazine publishing as an integral part of the Türkiye Communication Model. We are working to develop Türkiye's publishing ecosystem, and over the last 23 years, significant progress has been made in this field. Strong, effective, and exemplary libraries exceeding international standards have been built, primarily including the Nation's Library of the Presidency and the Rami Library, where we are currently gathered and have been made available for the benefit of our nation.
"The number of books with an ISBN has now approached 100,000 as of today"
Expressing that as of last year, the number of members in public libraries affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism had reached 7 million, the number of users had reached 39 million, and the total number of books had reached 25 million, Head of Communications Altun said, "In 2002, the number of books with an ISBN was 16,500, whereas this number has now approached 100,000 as of today." We are witnessing substantial quantitative growth along with significant qualitative advancements. Our duty now is to sustain this quantitative growth and strengthen it with even greater qualitative development."
Head of Communications Altun said: "The progress we have started to achieve in the field of publishing is directly linked to Türkiye's political democratisation, normalisation, and economic growth. Essentially, we are fighting to carry societal pluralism and richness into the political and cultural spheres. This is what we are striving for. Against the development of a domineering, top-down cultural hegemony that looks down on society, the nation, and the people, we advocate for a cultural pluralism and a democratic representation system that emerges from an authentic modernisation process—one that is in harmony with society, history, and culture."
Stating that publishers and publishing houses are undoubtedly one of the most important components and cultural carriers of this process, Head of Communications Altun emphasised the importance of preserving cultural uniqueness, sustaining cultural richness, and enhancing and expanding high-quality intercultural interactions. He also identified publishers and publishing houses as the primary protagonists in this process.
"Our nation has cultural confidence"
Quoting the renowned Turkish intellectual Cemil Meriç, "Imperialisms do not conquer nations through their cultures. They do it by making them lose their culture, by convincing them that they have no culture," said Head of Communications Altun, adding, "Unfortunately, our country has been subjected to this shock and attack many times and has repeatedly encountered such assaults throughout its history. We have been subjected to attempts to be stripped of our culture and disconnected from our cultural roots. Those behind these cultural initiatives, who have made efforts to undermine our culture, have certainly caused us harm, yet they have accomplished nothing. Today, our nation, intellectuals, literate individuals, and publications all possess a sense of cultural confidence, and with this confidence, they strive to engage with different cultures. They are working towards this. This pursuit itself is highly valuable."
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that they cannot ignore the concrete challenge posed by the presence of cultural encirclement attempts originating from the West and continued:
"We are all affected by this. You are the ones who mostly witness the effects of this cultural encirclement and hegemonic attempts in the publishing industry. The most significant issue in today's global publishing order is these attempts. These attempts, perpetrated by the monopolistic behaviour of a few large Western companies, lead to negative consequences for the publishing industry. Indeed, one of the most significant challenges in publishing today is Western monopolisation, which has been exacerbated by the digital media order, as well as the dominance of major technology companies. Another challenge brought about by digitalisation is the growing complexity of copyright issues, which affect all of us, along with new-generation piracy activities that further exacerbate the problem. Moreover, the digital divide, which is an extension of the growing global injustice that increasingly affects the world, poses another significant challenge to Türkiye in the publishing world."
"The flood of disinformation poses a significant challenge to the publishing culture"
Pointing out that the flood of disinformation, which has become a fundamental issue for humanity that no society can overlook today, is also a significant challenge for the publishing world, Head of Communications Altun remarked, "The knowledge production system is primarily influenced by the actors in the publishing sector. Their primary objective is to generate accurate, unaltered information. However, the current flood of disinformation and the media structure that fuels it are increasingly making this endeavour more challenging. Because as disinformative content replaces accurate information, unfortunately, some actors knowingly and others unknowingly become outlets of these disinformation flow processes. This, as a whole, is a significant challenge for the publishing culture. Although artificial intelligence creates some opportunities, it also amplifies the impact of the disinformation flood and, unfortunately, accelerates this process in a negative way."
Expressing that shifts in reading habits and the increasingly distracted readers are significant challenges for publishers, Head of Communications Altun emphasised that with digitalisation, major technology companies manipulate book recommendations through algorithms, presenting them to readers as they see fit. This, he noted, has made readers, authors, and publishing houses increasingly dependent on these algorithms.
Head of Communications Altun stated that the new media order also presents certain opportunities for publishers, adding, "Innovative platforms such as e-books, audiobooks, and podcasts can enable works to reach wider audiences. While I discussed the negative aspects of artificial intelligence, AI and big data mining can also be used to analyse reader preferences and create personalised publishing experiences. Another advantage brought by the new media order is the increased access to the global market and wider reach opportunities."
"We must not accept the straitjackets imposed on us"
Head of Communications Altun emphasised the importance of seizing opportunities while addressing challenges and continued, "In this context, prioritising new-generation publishing strategies is undoubtedly critical. For this reason, we want to focus particularly on new-generation publishing strategies. Besides, strengthening the reading culture is the most vital issue. To this end, we will conduct a public awareness campaign and a strategic communication campaign in collaboration with our Ministry of National Education and Ministry of Culture and Tourism. We will also discuss what we can do to develop new models that combine traditional and digital publishing. In addition to all this, we will explore the question, 'Can we foster a publishing activism unique to Türkiye in order to strengthen Türkiye's Publishing Ecosystem.' We will discuss what can be done, including the development of new digital publishing platforms. At this point, I firmly believe that unity and solidarity, beyond mere rhetoric, are vital components in this."
Head of Communications Altun noted:
"I believe it is crucial to eliminate artificial boundaries within the industry, unnecessary and fabricated debates, as well as imposed and irrelevant considerations, and act in unity with a perspective of cultural pluralism. Under no circumstances should we accept the straitjackets imposed on us. We must work together with strength and unity in a manner befitting this country, to strengthen this field. In line with our President's 'Century of Türkiye' vision, we will continue working to make Türkiye one of the world's leading publishing hubs, befitting our country's growing power. We will endeavour to exert our utmost effort."
Head of Communications Altun stated that they plan to produce concrete outcomes at the Communication Council, which will be held in April, to address the issues raised during the summit. He emphasised that they wish for book and magazine publishing to serve as a key pillar of the Communication Council in this regard.
