Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, delivered a speech at the "Reporter: Rethinking Journalism in the Digital Era Forum" organized by Anadolu Agency (AA) at AAtölye. 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."
Indicating that Anadolu Agency has been a significant force in the journalism and newscasting sector, making notable advancements in recent years, Head of Communications Altun said: "I find this forum to be a gathering of highly knowledgeable individuals in their respective fields. Additionally, the upcoming release of the new edition of 'Reporter: The Journalist's Primary Book' as part of this forum is a noteworthy example of these efforts. The Reporter book is a reference book that aims to meet the expectations of both the journalism sector and the students and faculty members of communication faculties."
Noting that the "Reporter" book, which has been revised, is the product of years of hard work, Head of Communications 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. I hope that this valuable book, along with the Forum on Rethinking Journalism in the Digital Era and the memorandum of understanding to be signed between Anadolu Agency and Ankara University, will bring great benefits."
The Head of Communications 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. Today, it is gratifying to see that our country's well-established media outlets are making great efforts to blend their expertise and institutional capabilities with innovative approaches to meet the demands of the media and journalism industry.
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. They are the result of a complementary effort driven by shared professional concerns and moral values. One is incomplete without the other."
"We have been trying to call the international community to action"
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 Altun 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."
Head of Communications Altun proceeded by saying that he had a duty to emphasise that the Turkish media, which is in pursuit of truth, plays a vital part at the intersection of these two efforts, and added:
"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. On the one hand, we talk about how journalism has developed in the digital era and the opportunities and challenges that digital technologies offer to journalists. However, on the other hand, we also have to face the fact that our reporters in Gaza work in an environment where it is nearly impossible to access the internet or a phone, there is no electricity, and—most troubling of all—they and their families are strategically targeted as a result of their status as reporters. However bitter it may be, it is simply the truth."
Noting 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, Head of Communications Altun said, "By doing so, they are also encouraging the global community's collective conscience. 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."
"The Türkiye Communication Model, which is a projection of our President's vision of the Century of Türkiye in the sphere of communication, is the primary strategy for multiplying the impact of our journalists' individual efforts," said Head of Communication Altun.
"Türkiye strives to achieve just peace as soon as possible"
Noting that they regard the journalists' professional passion and heroism as the embodiment of the struggle for truth and the appeal for fair communication in the Türkiye Communication Model, the Head of Communications stated:
"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.
Our reporters, who are deemed impartial and reliable by all sides involved in the conflict, have gained access to areas of conflict that other countries' media outlets have not been able to, enabling them to deliver news, information, and photos from these front lines. It is actually a vindication to state that our reporters' journalism efforts in global and regional crisis zones exemplify our President's vision of 'A Fairer World', which he brings to the agenda at every opportunity. Undoubtedly, the new meanings that our journalism has acquired in the digital era we live in are not limited to conflict zones and crisis areas."
"Türkiye is a country that sets the agenda in the global arena"
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.
Stating that the "Zero Waste Project," which is ongoing under the efforts of President Erdoğan and the auspices of his wife, First Lady Emine Erdoğan, offers a visionary leadership example to the whole world, Fahrettin Altun said: "It is a great pleasure to see that the media and news outlets of our country share this constructive vision and exert intense efforts to keep the environment and zero waste issues on the global agenda by leveraging the opportunities of digital transformation. In this regard, the 'Green Line' that Anadolu Agency has launched today is a global journalistic accomplishment. The successful deployment of big data, artificial intelligence and the new possibilities of digital journalism undoubtedly played a major role in this success."
Pointing out that there is a very strong relationship between technological developments and the transformation of the media sector in general and journalism in particular, Head of Communications Altun added:
"Indeed, technological developments offer great convenience to journalists in every period. New technological developments provide various means for the production and distribution of news. On the other hand, these technological developments also significantly influence the manner in which news is consumed. Today's media ecosystem allows social actors involved in the media to become both producers and consumers, and the distinction between the object and the subject of the news may vanish. This leads to an abundance of information—an information bombardment. I wish it were just an information bombardment, right?
In today's digital media ecosystem, both producers and consumers of news, public authorities and citizens have to face another major problem: the problem of disinformation. Unfortunately, in today's media-communication ecosystem, we are all exposed to a heavy bombardment of disinformation. Indeed, the uncertainty and decentralisation of news sources also exacerbate this process, and trust in media outlets and information is eroded. We live in a time of disinformation, and established media organisations have a critical role to play in this situation."
"In contrast, accurate journalism is valuable and worthy, and it is the result of hard work"
Head of Communications Altun stated that established media organisations bear the critical responsibility of restoring public trust in information while remaining vigilant for the truth, saying, "Let us not overlook the fact that disinformation is inherently inferior, worthless, and cheap. In contrast, accurate journalism is valuable and worthy, and it is the result of hard work. Accurate journalism is the most effective weapon in the fight against disinformation.''
Emphasising the importance of being bold in the face of novel developments in technology and being the subject rather than the object of these processes, Head of Communications Altun stated that despite its flaws, digitalisation offers significant opportunities.
Head of Communications Altun remarked, ''We have the capacity to quickly deliver any information or photos to any part of the world in a short period of time. Thanks to these capacities, we were able to bring the Israeli massacre in Gaza to the attention of the entire world. Our reporters' efforts and the photos they took enabled us to convey accurate information to the whole world. In today's media ecosystem, even a local news report can rapidly generate global influence and raise awareness. Nowadays, news can be presented in video, audio, infographics, animations, augmented reality, and podcasts. Again, data journalism is one of the most significant opportunities provided by the digital age.
Recalling that it is now possible to identify previously overlooked trends or links by examining massive data sets, Head of Communications Altun said: "Another factor to consider is that Türkiye is today an assertive country in the global arena. Today, Türkiye is a strong country with a global footprint and leadership potential. And Türkiye shares a vision of prioritising becoming a producer, not a consumer, in all fields. The leadership of our President has institutionalised this vision. This holds true for new media technologies as well. Just as we have responsibilities on the public side, the private sector and universities have significant responsibilities in this regard.''
''Journalism is being a messenger of the truth''
Emphasising the need for mobilisation to create technologies and brands in communication and media, Head of Communications Altun said, ''We are applying this diligence to our work. In this context, we value the artificial intelligence technologies that Anadolu Agency is developing. I believe that developing our own brands in the field of media and technology is critical for a great and powerful Türkiye.''
Fahrettin Altun stated that, despite technical and technological innovations in the journalism profession, one fundamental remains unchanged:
''Journalism is fundamentally a quest for truth, a struggle for truth. It is the discovery of facts and the pursuit of truth. Journalism is being a messenger of the truth. As always, journalism must continue to fulfil its fundamental responsibilities of informing the public, preserving the public interest, and facilitating the formation of public opinion. The human element will always serve as the foundation of communication and media. As Charles Dickens said, 'Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true'. 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."