Head of Communications Altun: "In a global media ecosystem where lies have become commonplace and the truth loses its significance more each day, with Türkiye's Communication Model, we put an end to the negative trends, and we will continue to do so."
Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, answered BusinessEkonomi magazine's questions about Türkiye's Communication Model and shared the details of Türkiye's communication strategy and its fight against digital threats.
In response to a question about Türkiye's media ecosystem in the digitalising world, Head of Communications Altun stated that digitisation has profoundly impacted the media ecosystem in Türkiye. The widespread use of the internet and the popularity of social media platforms have replaced conventional media production methods, bringing new content production techniques to the forefront.
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that the rapid growth of Türkiye's media ecosystem brings both opportunities and challenges. Among the opportunities, he pointed out that content creators can reach broader audiences, express themselves on various platforms, and innovative projects are supported.
However, he also noted that this transformation has brought challenges such as information pollution, reliability, and the digital divide. He continued:
"We are striving to institutionalise our country's communication strategies and establish a new ecosystem through Türkiye's Communication Model. Throughout the last 23 years, we have accomplished remarkable success in this area. We are working tirelessly to build a media system that fosters democracy through the effective and appropriate use of digitalisation, dismantles the instruments of the global exploitation system, and produces outcomes for the benefit of humanity. By emphasising our cultural richness and strong intellectual foundation, I am confident that we can show how new media tools can serve not as instruments of disinformation, crises, chaos, and polarisation, but as means to deliver information, happiness, peace, and security."
"We have taken the necessary precautions, and we continue to do so"
Highlighting that uncontrolled digitalisation has deepened the crises of truth that people are constantly exposed to, Head of Communications Altun said, "In a global media ecosystem where lies have become commonplace and the truth loses its significance more each day, with Türkiye's Communication Model, we put an end to the negative trends, and we will continue to do so."
Stating that Türkiye's media ecosystem is a dynamic structure that constantly evolves due to digitalisation, Head of Communications Altun remarked, "We are fully aware that disinformation, information pollution, and security issues pose serious risks for individuals and institutions, and we have taken the necessary precautions, and we continue to do so."
When asked about the strategies being implemented regarding the transformation between conventional media and new media, Head of Communications Altun emphasised that conventional media is limited to formats such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio, whereas new media has become more interactive and fast-paced with platforms like social media, blogs, podcasts, and other digital content platforms.
Pointing out that the integration of these two areas can provide a stronger and more dynamic media environment, Head of Communications Altun shared his view: "Conventional media, which is an important institution for social justice and the pursuit of individuals’ rights, has transformed into a new media landscape where information pollution and disinformation run rampant following digitalisation."
Head of Communications Altun highlighted that the manipulative characteristics of new media platforms pose a risk to social peace and that both individuals and institutions are facing pressure from lynch campaigns.
Stating that they will not accept any form of new media that serves malicious purposes such as character assassinations and restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms, Head of Communications Altun emphasised:
"Since the establishment of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, we have been striving for the development and institutionalisation of a strategic communication culture in our country. With positive communication campaigns, we fight against disinformation, black propaganda, cyber warfare, digital bullying, and hybrid threats. By setting policies in public communication and strategic communication across all scales, from local to global, we are courageously taking all necessary steps to protect our people, institutions, and country from the threats posed by digitalisation."
"Our objective is a century of communication"
When inquired about the most crucial strategic steps to ensure proper and effective communication in a rapidly changing digital landscape, Head of Communications Altun responded, "Our objective of a century of communication is one of the key elements of our vision of the Century of Türkiye. We are taking action and implementing strategies to ensure that our citizens have access to accurate information, the truth is upheld, the public sector is attentive to the public's input, and security and international relations are conducted within the strategic communication framework."
Head of Communications Altun pointed out that the Directorate has performed its assigned tasks flawlessly by utilising the opportunities presented by digitalisation in the most appropriate manner possible in all areas, including public diplomacy, crisis management, combating disinformation, and strategic communication, all the while maintaining the unity of discourse within the state.
Head of Communications Altun noted that Türkiye's Communication Model, which features strategies that enhance Türkiye's brand value and uphold the truth, has been developed as a communication strategy that brings out the potential in nearly every sector, including economy, culture and the arts, foreign policy, tourism, industry, technology, and education.
Emphasising how Türkiye's Communication Model, which was put into place not just for the good of Türkiye but also for the benefit of all people, offers strategies for eliminating the risks and threats brought about by digitalisation, Head of Communications Altun said:
"Türkiye's Communication Model is a proactive and innovative communication strategy marked by a strong, principled stance and attitude. Employing our national and domestic technology initiatives, we aim to counter the new media platforms that have reached a global threat level due to the opportunities provided by digitalisation and the digital dictatorships that these platforms have built. We consolidate our strategy by carrying out our training programmes, which promote proper and effective communication via increasing digital literacy on a national and global scale."
Noting that national media companies can only compete with global media corporations, which are monopolising the industry, by moving beyond local constraints and ensuring their content remains fresh and consistent, Head of Communications Altun said that the Directorate has organised numerous international events, such as the Stratcom Summit, to enhance the competitiveness of Turkish media organisations by informing media representatives about global communication trends and the preferred strategies used in the industry.
"We are undertaking significant efforts to combat disinformation"
When asked how Türkiye's global communication strategy was shaped, Head of Communications Altun said, "First of all, I must emphasise that we are striving for the Century of Türkiye to be a century of communication. It is evident that we are waging a struggle for truth in the field of communication as in every field."
Altun emphasised that the experts working in the central organisation and regional directorates of the Presidency's Directorate of Communications play a critical role in the implementation of the communication strategy and said, "In this context, we strive to communicate our values, historical richness, national and international achievements, our political stance, our approaches to global problems, and our vision of the Century of Türkiye to the world through an integrated communication strategy."
Stating that they employ public diplomacy instruments effectively to ensure this, Head of Communications Altun said that communicating Türkiye's perspectives on global and regional issues to the whole world in a precise and transparent manner is one of the primary objectives of their public diplomacy efforts.
Head of Communications Altun noted:
"We are exerting efforts to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations to directly communicate our President's messages, policies, vision, and efforts to resolve international crises to his addressees and the masses. We are also engaged in notable efforts to eliminate disinformation, which is one of the most significant challenges of our time and an issue that the entire world will need to address seriously shortly. These efforts are vital not only for information security but also for the protection of democratic processes and social solidarity. We will continue to implement our communication strategy, which we have successfully pursued to date, with resolve in the future."
In response to a question about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the media, Altun emphasised that AI presents both significant risks and enormous opportunities and that Türkiye is actively working to utilise artificial intelligence technologies in the pursuit of truth and justice.