Journalist Ali Duran Topuz has warned that Turkey’s pro-government media is playing a destabilising role in the ongoing Kurdish peace process, accusing it of promoting ideological narratives that distort public understanding and hinder progress.
Speaking to Mezopotamya Agency on Saturday about recent developments following the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) decision to dissolve itself in line with Abdullah Öcalan’s ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’, Topuz said efforts towards reconciliation are being “poisoned” by the media’s aggressive framing. “Even sincere calls for peace are poisoned by an inner core of ideological rigidity,” he said.
Topuz pointed to the language used by pro-government outlets such as Sabah and A Haber, which he described as driven by a need to present the peace process as part of a nationalist victory rather than a political necessity. He noted that narratives framing the initiative as “the defeat of terror” or “Turkey’s rise at home and abroad” are aimed at justifying government participation without acknowledging past failures. “They couldn’t say, ‘We had no choice,’ so instead they said, ‘We’re winning,’” he explained.
Beyond government-affiliated media, Topuz also drew attention to opposition-aligned outlets such as Halk TV, TELE1 and KRT, noting inconsistencies in their approach. “The CHP’s [main opposition Republican People’s Party] media is sometimes even more aggressive than nationalist outlets like the Victory Party,” he said, referring to retired military commentators who oppose the peace process on air, despite the CHP having broadly welcomed dialogue with Kurdish constituencies.
Topuz praised a number of independent digital platforms – including Medyascope, T24, Diken, Bianet, and Artı Gerçek – for their responsible journalism. “They have avoided coverage that undermines public hope and maintained a tone in line with press ethics and the public interest,” he said, singling out Medyascope’s founder Ruşen Çakır for leading a consistent editorial stance in favour of reconciliation.
However, Topuz also warned that structural issues continue to impede lasting media reform. He noted that pro-government media treats the process as a tool for long-term political control, while opposition-linked outlets often replicate polarising tendencies. Independent platforms, meanwhile, face challenges in achieving financial sustainability.
As for Kurdish media, Topuz acknowledged a lack of commercially and culturally driven independent outlets, and stressed the need for institutionally strong, politically autonomous media organisations capable of supporting a democratic peace. “It’s not a lack of talent or readiness. It’s about building durable, independent institutions,” he said.
