The monthly reports of the Media Watch on Hate Speech present examples of news articles and columns from the printed press that contain hate speech and target national, ethnic, and religious groups. A selection of articles (news clippings or personal columns) that contain hate speech is analysed and documented, using the method of critical discourse analysis. The aim is to raise awareness about the widespread use of hate speech in the printed press and the groups that are systematically subjected to hate speech.
The news about Macron's visit to Baghdad, Mosul, and Erbil is headlined with the phrase “French game”. The emphasis on French identity portrays the French as a potential danger and targets that identity’s stakeholders, and negative perceptions of that identity are reinforced.
The news article headlined “Are You a Greek Channel?” about state broadcaster TRT1’s decision not to show the Turkey Women’s National Volleyball Team’s celebration of its victory with the Izmir Anthem, linked TRT1’s stance on the anthem to Greek identity. This positions Greek identity as anti-Turkey and marginalises it. This way, the perception of hostility towards Greek identity is reiterated.
The headline for a news article about the Greek coastguard’s human rights violations against refugees emphasises Greek identity. By disregarding the responsibilities of the person or authorities involved in the incident, the main target is Greek identity. The news article reproduces existing prejudices against Greek identity and conveys the problems of refugees by blaming another identity.
The article headlined “Shocking Accusation Against Syed Geelani's Family - Hindu Fascism,” published in Yeni Akit, is about the funeral of Indian political figure Geelani. The phrase “Hindu fascism” in the headline blames the incident in the article on Hindu identity. The article indicates that Hindus are enemies of Islam and associates their identity with oppression. By fuelling conflict between identities, the perception of hostility towards identity is reinforced.
In the article headlined “Greek Cypriots Will Not Cover Up Their Massacres” in Yeni Akit newspaper, Cypriot Greeks and/or Greeks of Turkey identity is linked to violence and massacres and is made a target. By reproducing hate speech against Greek Cypriots, the news article fuels anti-Greek Cypriot hostility on the anniversary of September 6-7.
The article headlined “Another Raid by the Jews on Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the actions of Israeli police and a group of people is attributed to Jewish identity. The article reinforces negative judgments about identity, and incites the hostile perceptions of Jews.
The news article covers the EU Commission’s warning to Greece about its policies implemented against migrants. The human rights violation mentioned in the news is conveyed as “Greek cruelty” in the headline, reinforcing negative judgments about identity. The expression “Greek cruelty,” frequently used in the media, has become a common discourse and strengthens a hostile perception towards an identity.
The column headlined “You Are the English Mansur, Naturally the Prize Is Yours” is about coverage of Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş in the British press. The phrase “English Mansur” uses British identity as an otherising description. Indicating that British identity is a threat, a natural identity is used as a negative attribute, producing hate speech. The phrase “British adversary” in the text directly targets the identity as hostile.
The headline of the news article published in the newspaper, with the phrase “Greek trouble-making season” in the headline, produces hostility towards Greek identity and a war discourse. One of the figurative connotations of the Turkish word kaşınmak, which literally translates as “to itch,” is to do something that provokes a negative response. With this connotation, the public is incited against Greek identity. Describing the incident as a “season” presents it as a recurring situation and portrays Greek identity as a constant threat.
The news article claims that football player Mesut Özil’s support of a German politician, said to be close to Muslims in Germany, “drives the Germans crazy”. The news article, which contains contradictory statements that include the claim that some Germans’ support for the politician infuriates all Germans, portrays Germans as anti-Muslim, reinforcing prejudices against identity and stirring animosity against identity.
With the phrase “Greek Cypriots are playing with fire” in the headline, identity is portrayed as a ‘threat’, and readers are incited against Cypriot Greeks and/or Greeks of Turkey. It claims that Greek Cypriots are preparing for war as the Cypriot National Guard arms itself against Turkey. Thus, identity is associated with violence. This bolsters existing hostility towards Greek Cypriots and generates hate speech.
The phrase “Armenian mines” appears in the title of the news article about Azerbaijan military forces removing mines in war zones by stressing Armenian nationality. In reinforcing hostility towards Armenians owing to emphasis on identity, the article consolidates enmity between those groups.
The article claims Jews have posed a ‘threat’ to the society throughout history by hiding their identities. It also targets Armenians for allegedly collaborating with Jews. It states that Jews and Armenians held important positions in the state cadres during the Ottoman period, and indicates the identities are responsible for today’s social and economic problems. These claims incite hostility towards the identities and portray them as an element of conspiracy theories.
The air attack carried out by Russia on Syria is covered by emphasising Russian identity in the headline. Underscoring Russian identity by ignoring the Russian state’s responsibility in this matter associates the Russian people with violence and reinforces negative prejudices. In the text of the article, it is claimed that Russians aim to increase the pressure on Ankara with the attacks, thereby depicting Russian identity as a threat.
The article says those who were “soft-hearted and did not clean up” what it calls “remnants of the sword” in their massacres and claims “today, these remnants of the sword have greatly increased.” It recommends “gene analysis” for certain groups and targets Armenian, Greeks of Turkey, Greek, English and French identities. The article attacks these identities throughout and includes groups it defines as “internal traitors” in this framework and regenerates existing hostility towards these identities.
