Turkuvaz Medya, a subsidiary of Zirve Holding, is a media conglomerate that boasts an extensive portfolio. It publishes over a dozen renowned newspapers and magazines, such as Sabah, Takvim, and Yeni Asir. In addition to print media, Turkuvaz Medya also operates more than 10 radio and television channels.
Media assets
Publishing: Newspapers- Sabah, Fotomac, Takvim, Daily Sabah, Yeni Asir, Daily Sabah; Magazines- Bebeğim ve Biz, China Today, Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan Bride, Esquire, Forbes Türkiye, Harper’s Bazaar, HomeArt, House Beautiful, Lacivert, Otohaber, Para, Sofra Şamdan Plus, Vogue Türkiye
Television: ATV, a Haber, a News, a Para, a Spor, ATV Europe, minika, a2, Vav TV
Radio: a Haber Radio, a Spor Radio, Radio Turkuvaz, Vav Radio
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Private (CaPr)
Ownership and governance
Zirve Holding, a company under the control of Omer Faruk Kalyoncu, a board member of the Kalyon Group, fully owns Turkuvaz Medya. The Kalyon Group is a conglomerate operating in the construction, energy, and infrastructure sectors. Kalyoncu established Zirve Holding in September 2013 with the specific intention of using the company to acquire media outlets.
Turkuvaz Media was established using funds acquired from bribes contributed by pro-government businessmen in Turkey, reportedly at the behest of President Erdogan. These funds were ostensibly solicited by the presidency as a prerequisite for securing future government contracts. According to journalists who have spent a decade investigating the group who spoke to us in March 2023, existing media outlets under Turkuvaz’s control, including newspapers such as Takvim and Yeni Asir, were transferred to Turkuvaz through various deals and arrangements.
The owner of Turkuvaz Medya is recognized as a steadfast ally of President Erdogan. In 2013, Erdogan, who was then the Prime Minister, personally orchestrated the sale of numerous media outlets owned by Calik Holding. These were sold to oligarchs closely aligned with the government, who were guaranteed public contracts in return for their agreement to these purchases. The media outlets managed by Turkuvaz Medya were included in this transaction.
Despite being privately owned, Turkuvaz Medya operates under stringent government control, specifically under the Presidency’s supervision. For instance, Berat Albayrak, the Minister of Energy’s brother and President Erdogan’s son-in-law, held the position of vice-chairman at Turkuvaz Medya for a significant period. Additionally, the President’s frequent attendance at the family events of Turkuvaz’s owner underscores the close-knit relationship between the President and the supportive oligarchy.
Turkuvaz is also reported to have provided logistical support for the initiation of Eha Medya, a news portal established in 2018 by the Turkish intelligence services. This platform is designed to promote the perspectives and positions of President Erdoğan.
Source of funding and budget
Turkuvaz Medya does not publicly disclose its funding sources. Nevertheless, local journalists who closely monitor state expenditure within the Turkish media have reported that the media outlets managed by the holding company receive considerable state funding. A significant portion of this funding is said to come from advertising, provided either by the central government or local municipalities under the control of the AKP. Additionally, Turkuvaz’s media outlets generate substantial revenue through ad sales.
Editorial independence
Most media articles and reports often label outlets under Turkuvaz Medya as “pro-government” due to their biased coverage that favors the government and criticizes the opposition. Local journalists suggest that Turkuvaz’s media outlets are tightly controlled by individuals loyal to the government, particularly the Presidency. For instance, some columnists at Sabah also serve as advisers to the president.
The most recent research round for this report has failed to identify any statute that guarantees the editorial independence of Turkuvaz media outlets.
The most recent research round did not identify any independent assessment or oversight mechanism that could confirm the editorial independence of Turkuvaz media outlets.
August 2024