In the past, the television was the surest way of moulding people’s perceptions, shaping their opinions and sneaking into their lives. Today, however, a relatively successful YouTuber can compete with major news programmes in terms of viewership. This is particularly true in a country like Turkey, where the quality of television has been eroded significantly and experienced journalists have brought quality journalism to their place of exile: the world wide web. Under these circumstances, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)’s decision to regulate online broadcasting – the one domain where it cannot (yet) control the narrative – should not come as a surprise.
Turkey’s media watchdog targets free press bastion: the internet
Experts say regulation aims to exert control over independent online media currently outside government’s reach
