It is getting harder and harder to cite Western media as good journalism in my classes. There have been significant critiques of Western media’s reporting on the Amsterdam incident involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. Several key points of criticism have emerged: Biased Framing and Selective Reporting Critics argue that many Western media outlets presented a … Read more
I want to tell you about a situation that frustrated me. Recently, at a jury meeting, I came across a well-known, well-connected, and rich communicator in the telecommunications industry. When 5G was mentioned, he said something like this. “I was at a huge 5G summit abroad at the beginning of the pandemic. I hung out … Read more
A few days ago, Osman Kavala marked seven years in prison Such a waste of life. Even the many in the government know he does not deserve to be in prison. But he symbolizes a life view that the current nationalist bloc hates. Osman Kavala, a prominent Turkish businessman and civil society leader, marked the … Read more
The MV Kathrin, a German-flagged cargo ship, has been at the center of international controversy due to allegations that it is carrying explosives destined for Israel. Here are the key developments: Background The MV Kathrin departed from Vietnam in mid-July 2024, reportedly carrying 150 metric tons of explosives, including RDX and TNT[1][4]. The ship’s … Read more
Maccabi fans were involved in some provocative actions before the match, and then they were victims of more severe violence afterward. The incidents sparked widespread condemnation -OF COURSE- from both Dutch and Israeli authorities, who described the attacks on Maccabi fans as antisemitic[4][6][13]. Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were involved in several incidents in Amsterdam … Read more
I will be in Munich for a month in January 2024 to be part of this project: Below the Radar? Messaging Apps, Encryption and the Enticement of Extreme Speech The new CAS Research Group led by communication scientist Sahana Udupa Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München started yesterday. Online extreme speech and disinformation have emerged as a major problem … Read more
You can find the report here. The main criticisms and praises in the 2024 EU Türkiye Report are summarized below: Criticisms: Democratic Standards: The report criticizes Turkey for the weakening of democratic standards, including the functioning of democratic institutions. The presidential system is said to lack checks and balances, and the legislative and oversight functions … Read more
If I were living in the US, I would probably be upset. But back in Türkiye, many people around me are happy with the election outcome. They [Democratic Party leadership] insisted on a weak leader, then moved to Harris, who was not as dynamic as we thought. They ignored younger more militant voter base to … Read more
The Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg visited Istanbul to support Acik Radyo (Open Radio), a recently closed independent radio station in Turkey. Here are the key details of her visit: Purpose of the Visit Thunberg’s visit was primarily to express solidarity with Acik Radyo, which had its broadcasting license revoked by the Turkish Radio and … Read more
Are you familiar with a brand called TCL? You might recognize them as the cheap TV brand but they’re a lot bigger than just that. In fact, they just overtook LG to become the second-largest TV maker in the world, only beaten by Samsung. And the way things are looking, it’s very possible that TCL … Read more
That’s just sad. Probably some blackmailing moves to force the opposition to a constitutional change… On November 4, 2024, the Turkish government took action to remove three elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office in southeastern Turkey, replacing them with state-appointed officials[1][2][3]. This move has significant political implications and has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between … Read more
The devastating floods in Valencia, Spain resulted in over 200 deaths due to several key factors: Rapid onset of flash flooding: The floods occurred suddenly on Tuesday evening, catching many people off guard as they were returning home from work. The civil protection authority did not issue emergency alerts until around 8:00 PM local time, … Read more
CPJ’s 2024 Global #ImpunityIndex spotlights the 13 countries with the worst records for prosecuting the murderers of journalists targeted in connection to their work over the past 10 years. Here is the report Israel In the most dangerous and unprecedented war for journalists CPJ has ever recorded, Israel has killed at least 126 journalists and media workers, … Read more
Sena and I produced a piece we had worked on before into publishable material. It portrays AI in newsrooms just before the rise of Generative AI. You can read the pre-print version here. Here is the abstract for Azimli, S. O., & Saka, E. (2024). Automated Journalism in Turkish Media Before the Rise of Generative … Read more
Just as we were getting happy with a possible peace process, a major coup added to the new arrests of Kurdish politicians, Mr Özer is a notable personality of Kurdish origin, and he was elected through CHP ranks. I suspect he is a victim of behind the door struggles within the state circles. Ahmet Özer, … Read more