Speaking at the "TRT Documentary: Season of Innovation" launch event organised by TRT, the Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, emphasised the motto "TRT is both memory and the future."
Stating that it is important to be able to offer in-depth content to meet the expectations of society and different areas of interest, Altun noted that TRT responds to this need with its thematic channels.
Expressing that TRT Documentary, which has successfully maintained its leading position in its category, offers a rich selection to documentary lovers with many new productions and episodes, Head of Communications Altun went on to say:
"Today, unfortunately, our minds are essentially preoccupied with the uncertainties, chaos, turmoil, conflicts, and wars that dominate the global arena. It is imperative to delve into these issues in the depths of a documentary, providing viewers, as well as the entire national and international public, with the opportunity to make connections and establish context, offering cognitive and emotional insight. Because under the inundation of content, the oppressor and the oppressed, white and black, truth and lies could become intermingled and vague. Perception of masses could be poisoned by simulations. The documents titled "Password Homeland: Zero Terror," "Lost Silhouettes of the East: Syria," and "Goal Scorer to the Frontline: Palestine," offered by TRT to the viewers, are just examples of the antidote to this poison."
"Our country improves its national resources and capabilities by the day"
Expressing that chaotic tensions are being witnessed in the region and the world, Head of Communications Altun stated, "With a new development every day, uncertainties, conflicts, instabilities, and tensions are expanding. In an environment where numerous nations, particularly those in Europe, are reevaluating the security capabilities of the region and seeking solutions, Türkiye, under the leadership, vision, and foresight of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has emerged as an independent power, carving its own path in many fields, particularly in the defence industry. It has become an independent actor. In this context, our country is steadily enhancing its national strengths and capabilities."
Stating that Türkiye implements its policies and initiatives on the basis of peace and towards reducing uncertainties, Altun noted that with its position as an actor in the current historical process, Türkiye brings peace and tranquillity to its periphery.
Head of Communications Altun said:
"Türkiye adeptly employs diplomacy in its stabilising role to establish peace and security in nearly every region. This significant endeavour that we are undertaking on the ground and at the table in accordance with the vision of a fairer world is possible and the world is bigger than five, and undoubtedly has an equivalent in the field of communication. In the field of communication, the equivalent of this endeavour is the struggle for truth. The productions that we are introducing today are a tangible representation of this endeavour. These contents are the windows of truth that our country has created for the global public opinion in the field of documentary, and as Türkiye, we are obliged to increase the number of such windows."
"We are resolute in our commitment to the family-oriented content mobilisation"
Head of Communications Altun underscored that an important pillar of their obligation in the world of content is to resist the attempts to establish global cultural hegemony.
Stating that in the global arena, a front against human nature has been opened in the popular culture industry, Altun went on to say:
"The world of content is intended to be dominated by a chaotic order in which the family is devalued, and identities are sought to be obscured. It is an indispensable mission for us to lead the struggle against the impositions of this distorted system in order to raise healthy generations and fortify the family institution. As is widely recognised, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared 2025 the "Year of the Family." In this context, we are resolute in our commitment to the family-oriented content mobilisation we have initiated."
In this context, Head of Communications Altun expressed his satisfaction with the upcoming broadcast of "My Family: Close Hearts" on the TRT Documentary channel, which is a production that emphasises family values, while he underscored the critical role of the global dissemination of such productions in the prevention of digital content fascism.
Pointing out that each emergent production in Türkiye should be regarded as carrying the torch for the cultural cause, Head of Communications Altun noted that various media content, particularly documentaries, are being extensively employed as a form of soft power in the international arena.
Head of Communications Altun went on to say:
"From this perspective, the wealth of our country presents a profound and distinctive opportunity for documentary filmmakers. Fortunately, TRT Documentary ensures that the audience receives high-quality productions that are nurtured by the spirit of Türkiye. The documentaries that are particularly noteworthy in the Innovation Season of TRT Documentary are "Türkiye's Giant Structures," which examines the engineering projects that Türkiye has undertaken; "Game Breaker," which provides an account of our domestic defence industry projects; "Sultans of Science," which examines the geniuses who were raised in Turkish-Islamic culture; and "Hidden Treasures of Nature," which highlights the natural beauty of Türkiye. I sincerely believe these documentaries will captivate domestic and international audiences."
"In this century, culture, arts and communication never accept a vacuum"
Pointing out that the most significant development in the present day that promotes the use of all forms of media content as soft power is digitalisation, which is swiftly affecting all aspects of life, Head of Communications Altun stated that the predilection for content based on "watching and listening" as opposed to traditional reading methods and the prioritisation of digital sources in accessing information create an opportunity for documentary filmmaking.
In this context, Altun underscored the importance of acknowledging that each development is accompanied by specific challenges, constraints, and obstacles.
Stating that some of these challenges include disinformation, misinformation, and masked content, Head of Communications Altun noted, "If we consider this in the specific case of documentary, we can state that one of the important elements that feed the spread of disinformative content is mock documentaries, also referred to as parodies of documentaries in the communication literature. Mock documentaries, in contrast to the documentary's truth-discovering structure, use false videos and photographs to construct their own version of truth for the purpose of entertainment or raising awareness regarding its subject. It forges a kind of hyper-reality. Occasionally, this genre could possibly evolve into bearing an intention for manipulating the truth."
Head of Communications Altun underlined that the greatest ethical issue regarding disinformation, misinformation, and masked content is the lack of any statement at the beginning or anywhere else in the content indicating that it is fake or fictional, and continued:
"The situation as it is is further complicated by the application of artificial intelligence. It is becoming increasingly challenging to differentiate between right and wrong, as the habit of instantaneous and incidental viewing is becoming more deeply ingrained, and mock documentaries are produced and ingested at a rapid pace. Documentaries, which are supposed to represent public reality, are transformed into a weapon for distorting the truth by global platforms that support digital dictatorships as the conscious viewing culture of the masses deteriorates. The whole struggle of ours is to defend the truth against the attempts for distortion."
"We will further strengthen the documentary ecosystem in Türkiye and support young talents"
Head of Communications Altun added:
In this regard, as the Directorate of Communications, we are striving to place truth against illusion and reality against falsehood with the vision of 'The Century of Türkiye will be the Century of Communication' put forth by our President. In the field of international documentary filmmaking, we are striving to produce a meaningful counter-voice centred on authentic knowledge and to be a pioneer. Because it is indisputable that in this century, culture, arts, and communication never accept a vacuum. In this context, our President has stated, 'We have paved the way for everyone who wants to express themselves in the field of culture and arts, regardless of their ideas, beliefs, or affiliations,' in a manner that is consistent with our communication mobilisation, and we will continue to do so."
Fahrettin Altun stated that the Directorate of Communications will further strengthen the documentary ecosystem in Türkiye and support young talents, as well as boost all areas that nurture the field of cultural assets on the axis of meaning, sense, and truth.
Head of Communications Altun’s post
Head of Communications Altun also shared a post on his social media account regarding the event. In his message, Head of Communications Altun conveyed his pleasure in attending the “Season of Innovation” event, which introduced the latest productions of TRT Documentary as it marks 15 years of broadcasting and said, “On this occasion, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to organising the program and those who participated.”
