Head of Communications Altun: "We are not surprised that some marginalized groups who wish to cause outbursts and provocations by using May 1 Labor Day as an excuse fail to remember these workers. Ideological obsessions and political affiliations should not distort our relationship with the truth. We must be authentic; we must fight for the truth."
At the event marking TRT's 60th anniversary held at the ATO Congressium, the Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, stated that the history of media and modernization in Türkiye are inextricably linked and that the development of mass media has brought about significant changes in the equilibrium between politics, society, and the state.
Pointing to the 4 important periods in the history of communication since the Tanzimat Reform Period, Altun said, "Newspaper publishing, radio broadcasting, television broadcasting and digital broadcasting. The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation has played a fundamental role in this historical course. TRT, which was founded on May 1, 1964, accumulated six decades of experience and was solely responsible for television and radio broadcasting until the early 1990s. TRT functioned as a school with no alternatives."
Altun recalled that private radios and televisions received the human resources they required from TRT in the early years of their operation and that, in addition to broadcasting activities, TRT made important contributions in the fields of education and research.
Altun went on to say that TRT has portrayed Türkiye's political, social, and cultural journey over the last 60 years through its broadcasts spanning more than half a century and added:
"In this context, TRT has witnessed Türkiye's joys as well as coups, periods of martial law, and national and international crises. It has not only witnessed the turbulent periods but has also been among the institutions most profoundly impacted by them. TRT has taken important steps for the benefit of our nation, our kindred geography and humanity in accordance with the new position of our country, which has made a great breakthrough under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. TRT, being an institution of the great and powerful Türkiye, has generated robust content and brands in the domains of news, documentaries, television series, and films. In doing so, TRT has not only remained within the national sphere and the boundaries of conventional media but has also implemented a competent internationalisation and digitalization process.
'Internationalization and digitalization.' In my opinion, these are two significant concepts that have characterized the recent period of TRT. Today, TRT is a global content producer with broadcasts in 41 languages and dialects, including TRT World, TRT Spanish Digital News Platform, which was launched last week, TRT Arabic, TRT Russian, TRT Africa, TRT Balkan, and TRT French. It is a global media brand. It is important to emphasize one point with clarity. In the modern era, media imperialism constitutes one of the most important issues among the factors that contribute to global injustice."
"TRT fosters a seamless flow of communication"
Stating that perhaps the most insidious power in managing the perception of the world public is the power of the media to create discourse and narrative, Head of Communications Altun said: "The Western world today uses this power to conceal its imperialistic intentions. For example, news agencies, which emerged in the second half of the 19th century, along with the press, constituted the investigative branch of colonialism."
Head of Communications Altun stated that discussion around Western domination in communication and media only emerged in the 1970s, and added, "In those years, there was a growing demand for a diverse and multicultural flow of information. At that time, Türkiye attempted to address these demands, but it was only in the 2010s that it gained the necessary strength to take action. As a result, it has since created international media brands, with TRT World being a notable example. The primary objective here is to foster a seamless flow of communication that will help cultivate an atmosphere of international peace, justice, and equity.
Head of Communications Altun said that TRT strives to provide the international community with accurate and timely information on nearly every issue covered or disregarded by Western media outlets and continued:
"The protests in American universities today are often overlooked and concealed by Western media monopolies. TRT has been fighting for the truth in the international arena by following such events on the ground from the outset. Our institutions, such as TRT, are attempting to inform the entire world about the international uprising of university students and academics against Israel's genocide. This is a tremendous effort in the name of truth and justice. I strongly believe that TRT will continue with its efforts. Regardless of the circumstances, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of the truth, not just at the national level but also at the international level with all our institutions and organisations, as we explicitly state this and our President communicates it unambiguously.
The contemporary communication ecosystem has two pillars: internationalism and digitalisation. Before the advent of digitisation, the media ecosystem consisted solely of simplex communication. Newspapers, televisions and magazines were the subjects with their publications, and the target audience had no choice but to read or watch them. Ultimately, the advent of digitalisation has compelled media organisations to acknowledge the audience as subjects, rather than mere consumers. However, digitalisation has brought new challenges. Digitalization has created a media ecosystem in which false information, fiction, and disinformation can rapidly spread."
"It has become a pioneering organisation in digital media"
Stating that this aspect of digitalisation brought both new opportunities and serious risks in the media sector, Head of Communications Altun said, "In this process, TRT preferred to both benefit from the opportunities and manage the risks of digitalisation. TRT has created many new digital brands, both in the field of news reporting and in the field of series and movie broadcasting. In this respect, TRT has become a pioneering organisation in digital media with its digital platforms, especially TABİİ, and its versatile and diverse communication channels."
Stating that TRT is one of the key components and pillars of our Türkiye's Communication Model, Head of Communications Altun said, "I am confident that TRT will continue to convey our communication and media culture based on rights and justice in the most accurate way in the Century of Türkiye. TRT has this capacity, accumulation, and experience due to the effort it has exerted and the breakthroughs it has made in recent years. I believe that TRT will continue to shape current and potential trends in the communication and media sectors.
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that television series and film productions should be further qualified and developed into efficient tools of cultural diplomacy and Türkiye's soft power, and added, "We must undertake pioneering and innovative initiatives in the sector without compromising the right, truth, justice, and quality. The language employed in the global media must be purged of repetitive definitions and notions imposed by privileged elites, as well as discourses that do not align with the truth. We must continue combating the crisis of truth and one of its crucial pillars: disinformation. We must create instruments in this fight to offer quick and efficient solutions."
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that the media should continue to create content that improves society's cultural and intellectual fabric, in opposition to the misguided notion that labels broadcasting as a consumer good and the public as a consumer society.
Marking May 1, Labor and Solidarity Day, Altun went on to say,
"As our President stated in his message, I congratulate 'all the workers and labourers striving for halal sustenance.' I would like to take this opportunity to commemorate with mercy the 29 workers who perished in a fire that broke out during the construction of a nightclub in Beşiktaş in April. We are not surprised that some marginalized groups who wish to cause outbursts and provocations by using May 1, Labor Day, as an excuse fail to remember these workers. Ideological obsessions and political affiliations should not distort our relationship with the truth. We must be authentic, we must fight for the truth. You, TRT employees, are one of the key players in this struggle."
Ahead of the event, the Head of Communications, Altun, opened the TRT 60th Anniversary Special Exhibition and wished the exhibition to be auspicious.
