Debate and controversy sparked by the arrest of Erzincan Chief Prosecutor İlhan Cihaner caused tension between the government and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK). The ensuing debate was covered in 26,179 news stories.
The Sledgehammer plan, a subversive military plot to overthrow the government first exposed by the Taraf daily, was also a widely covered topic last month. The investigation into the Sledgehammer plan was the subject of 12,918 news stories last month. The MTM report says this marks a sharp increase from the amount of coverage in January.
Another issue that was widely covered by the Turkish media in February was Valentine’s Day. The day was the subject of 8,344 news stories by newspapers, journals, news sites and television shows.
In politics, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was the most extensively covered political party of the month. The party’s statements about the strike by former workers of the country’s alcohol and tobacco monopoly Tekel, the Sledgehammer investigation, recent tension in Parliament and possible early elections were covered in 44,530 news stories and 646 hours of television airtime. The Republican People’s Party (CHP), which submitted a censure motion against Interior Minister Beşir Atalay over the return of some terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants who surrendered in October of last year to Turkey was also widely talked about. The CHP was covered in 27,509 news stories.
Natural disasters in the news
Natural disasters that hit various provinces in Turkey last month were also widely covered. Floods that struck various cities, causing loss of life and serious damage were the subject of 2,779 news stories during the month by various newspapers, journals, television shows and news sites. The devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile were also covered extensively by the Turkish media.
Art topics covered widely in the press last month include a Turkish cinema night in Berlin, the French Ministry of Culture’s Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres honor granted to director Fatih Akın, news stories about the festival organized by the Filmmor Women’s Cooperation, the Golden Bear being awarded to Turkish movie “Bal” (Honey) at the 60th Berlin Film Festival and the Aydın Doğan Cinema Award being awarded to director Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
