Following the defeat in both May elections, discussions regarding the CHP have intensified. The CHP's relationship with the opposition media has become a topic of debate, alongside internal opposition, preparations for the congress, and relations with other parties. CHP Deputy Chair Eren Erdem made a written statement announcing the unilateral termination of the agreement between the CHP and Halk TV, effectively ending their association. The statement mentioned that the termination was exercised within the framework of Article 6.3 of the protocol dated 01.01.2023 between the party and the television channel Halk TV, which is subject to the audit of the Constitutional Court (Court of Accounts).In response to this announcement, the owner of Halk TV expressed respect for the CHP administration's decision, stating that it is their natural right. The owner emphasized that Halk TV's objective journalism is dedicated to its audience, and their high viewership rates and strong bond with the audience attest to this. Despite facing significant fines from RTÜK, they have never compromised on their commitment to objective journalism, advocating for modern Turkey, its founding values, the people, labor, and the truth. They pledged to continue adhering to this principle in their broadcasting, aiming not to be in favor of or against any political party or administration but to stand for the people and the truth.We can say that the relationship between media organizations and political parties in Turkey is quite problematic. One of the reasons for Turkey's low ranking in press freedom indices is the tendency of media organizations to maintain their existence through a network of political relations that are exempt from the dynamics of the market economy. This situation has been revealed with data in the report titled 'Turkey's Press Freedom Report 2022' written by Prof. Dr. Burak Bilgehan Özpek for the Freedom Research Association. &nbsp;We can observe the ruling party providing financial incentives to media executives, which results in organizations aligned with the government transforming into propaganda vehicles. Simultaneously, the government endeavors to intimidate opposition media establishments through punitive measures.The recent debate revolves around the connection between opposition parties and opposition media, a topic that has received relatively little attention in the media-politics discourse. It is worth mentioning that the relationship between the Republican People's Party (CHP) and Halk TV, despite limited information on its content, bears resemblance to the government's association with partisan media. It appears that the CHP is dissatisfied with Halk TV's broadcasting policies, despite its financial support through advertisements. This discontent could be attributed to the participation of numerous commentators who criticized the CHP administration in post-election programs, potentially influencing the party's decision-making process.It should be noted that the independence of media organizations is contingent on their freedom from the influence of not only the ruling party but also opposition parties. Media independence does not necessarily require an entirely impartial editorial policy, especially in market relations.Unfortunately, in Turkey, media outlets appear to prioritize financial benefits from political actors over serving their viewers or readers as a source of income. Similarly, political actors seek to exploit media outlets as tools for propaganda.Özpek, in the report published in January 2023, revealed the current state of the opposition media and its relationship with the CHP. The report stated, "Especially before the 2023 presidential elections, it has been observed that the opposition media has lost its impartiality and revised its editorial policy in favor of certain candidates within the opposition. With the possibility of CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy strengthening, some news that could be detrimental to Ekrem İmamoğlu, one of the strongest candidates against him, were produced."

The Freedom Observer

It is worth mentioning that the relationship between the Republican People's Party (CHP) and Halk TV, despite limited information on its content, bears resemblance to the government's association with partisan media.

objective journalism ile ilgili hikayeler