In his speech at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) News Group Meeting and Global News Forum, held at a hotel in İstanbul, the Presidency's Head of Communications Fahrettin Altun stated that today, media professionals from various regions will discuss journalism, challenges to journalism, digitalisation, and local, national, and international media perspectives in the chaotic and uncertain process the world is going through.
Head of Communications Altun stated that the most fundamental issue confronting the global media ecosystem is establishing an understanding of journalism that prioritises the truth, and to do so, they need collective effort, cooperation, and fair representation of the world's peoples and various segments of society.
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that only media professionals who rise above generalisations, prejudice, fear, and marginalisation—those who are confident and dedicated to truth—can fulfil this crucial need and added that the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, with its worldwide reach of 4 billion people, is one of the main institutional structures that will meet this need on a global scale.
Pointing out that the Western-centred, unipolar, unidirectional information flow has unfortunately shaped discourses and narratives about the entire world to a great extent since the 19th century, Head of Communications Altun said that the world has grown to be a home of meaningless power struggles rather than peaceful coexistence as a result of stereotypes, essentialist, and totalist perspectives triggered by this unidirectional information flow.
Head of Communications Altun remarked that there is an unjust media order that seeks to reproduce itself and grow stronger through the use of new media technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
Noting that one of the main factors that exacerbate the unjust media order is the "algorithm dictatorship", which has become one of the new domination tools of Western social media companies, Head of Communications Altun emphasised that the algorithms used by social media platforms produce guided content calibrated according to different segments of society, thus seeking to perpetuate the existing mechanisms of domination and oppression policies.
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that their primary responsibility is to expose the unjust order and the crisis of representation, to amplify the voice of truth, and to fortify the front of truth.
"That engineer described Israel's crime against humanity as "the first artificial intelligence-assisted genocide in history''
Stating that today there is a reality in Palestine where the horror witnessed defies expression and even words bear the scars, Head of Communications Altun said, "The ongoing, unrestrained violence against innocent and oppressed people in the Palestinian territories by the Israeli government is a reality that must be proclaimed loudly and fearlessly, no matter the consequences. And this meeting, this gathering, also serves this purpose. The persecution of the Palestinian people has turned into a genocide in which all military and technological means are used."
Head of Communications Altun recalled that a global technology company recently terminated the employment of a software engineer for supporting Palestine, and the engineer exposed how Israel exploited artificial intelligence technology in its massacres and described Israel's crime against humanity as "the first artificial intelligence-assisted genocide in history."
Recalling that thousands of babies, children, women, the elderly, healthcare workers, and journalists have been massacred during this occupation, where sophisticated systems have been established to target the innocent, Head of Communications Altun said, "Israel, which has once again escalated its attacks, continues to brutally massacre both people and humanity itself." Just yesterday, Israel opened fire on a group of diplomats, including an official from our Consulate General in Jerusalem, during their visit to the city of Jenin. This tragic incident once again exposed Israel's lawlessness, systematic bullying, and denial of the right to life to anyone other than itself. The responsibility of journalists under such crossfire is to awaken the world to the truth, even if it means risking their lives."
"I am deeply grateful to all of our journalists, particularly TRT and Anadolu Agency"
Head of Communications Altun stated that they witnessed journalists' extraordinary efforts to uncover the truth, saying, "The moments when TRT Arabi reporter Reba Khalid realised during a live broadcast that his family's house had been bombed and recounted it in tears remain vivid in all of our minds. The words of TRT Arabi cameraman Sami Shahada, who lost a leg in an Israeli attack, ring in our ears: 'Even if I am on one leg, even if I have to use a cane, I will continue to do my job and be the voice of Gaza.' The pain of Anadolu Agency cameraman Saed Abu Nabhan, who was targeted and killed by the Israeli army with a long-barrelled weapon on January 10, Working Journalists' Day, this year, is in our hearts. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed 222 press members. 222 journalists have been killed. Yes, 222 human beings: son, daughter, mother, and father. This number exceeds the number of journalists killed in war in the previous century."
Head of Communications Altun expressed his condolences to the journalists, the soldiers of truth, who died in Israeli attacks while on a vigil for truth, saying, "Despite all of these brutal attacks and oppression, journalists have not wavered in their commitment to conveying the truth for a single moment. As President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also stated, they have established 'a communication corridor from Gaza to the world'. I am deeply grateful to all our media outlets and journalists, particularly TRT and Anadolu Agency, who work tirelessly to uphold this corridor, representing the voice of Palestinian reality."
Head of Communications Altun said, "Türkiye, under the leadership of our esteemed President, has always been and will continue to be Palestine's strong voice at all times and on all platforms. President Erdoğan, who asked, 'Where are the borders of the state of Israel?' from the United Nations rostrum and drew attention to Israel's expanding annexation map, has repeatedly urged the international community to stop Israel's occupying policies. Accordingly, Türkiye severed its trade relations with Israel and filed a declaration of intervention in the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice."
Stating that their efforts would continue until the oppression in Palestine ends, Head of Communications Altun said, "Türkiye's struggle is not only for Palestine; it is not only for our region. It is to establish a fairer system all over the world and put an end to oppression."
"Türkiye has emerged as a hub of peace, hosting multiple peace tables within the same week"
Pointing to Türkiye's efforts for global peace and justice in the last few weeks as a stabilising force under the strong leadership and mediation of President Erdoğan, Head of Communications Altun said:
"Following a period in which Türkiye played an active role, the decision to lift the sanctions against Syria was made, which marked an important move towards the reconstruction of a free Syria. The peace table has been re-established in our country three years after the initial discussions between Russia and Ukraine in Türkiye in 2022. The parties came together in İstanbul and agreed to continue negotiations and facilitate a prisoner exchange. İstanbul also served as the venue for the nuclear talks between Iran and European countries. While the heart of dialogue, reconciliation, and peace beats in İstanbul, Antalya hosted the Informal Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs. On the other hand, President Erdoğan took a robust initiative to end the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, contributing to its resolution. We must express this clearly. Developing constructive relations and earning the trust of all parties, Türkiye has become a hub of diplomacy and peace where multiple peace tables have been set up in the same week. Throughout this entire period, the world focused on Türkiye for good news, and international media outlets practically pitched camp in İstanbul with their news teams."
Emphasising that they must fight for truth, remain united, and never give in to artificial divisions, Head of Communications Altun concluded his remarks by stressing the necessity of working to make the world a better, more beautiful, and liveable place.
