Media Ethics and Crisis Management Discussed: Journalism from Theory to Practice

"Journalist Şaban Özdemir shared his experiences with young communicators in an online interview held at Erciyes University Faculty of Communication. In the interactive event, moderated by Asst. Prof. Çetin Oranlı from the Faculty of Communication, the past and present of media, journalistic practices, and professional challenges, from professional experiences to digital transformation, were examined through real-life events.

In the online interview, concrete examples were shared on how theoretical lessons are blended with field applications. 
Especially the topics of professional ethics, press law, and live broadcast crises, discussed within the scope of the "Communication and Law" course, attracted great interest. 

"Adhering to legal boundaries is the journalist's greatest strength"

Journalist Şaban Özdemir sincerely recounted the live broadcast mishaps he experienced throughout his professional life and the moments when he struggled in journalism; he emphasized that maintaining composure during crises and adhering to legal boundaries is the journalist's greatest strength.

"Verifying the news source is not a preference, but a legal obligation"

How critical concepts such as the "Right of Reply and Correction" (tekzip) and "Presumption of Innocence" should be managed in the age of social media was among the most debated topics of the interview. Özdemir, who conveyed to the students that reaching accurate information and verifying the news source is not a preference but a legal obligation in an era of increasing digital disinformation, gave comprehensive answers to every question from the students.  
In a section of the interview, Özdemir shared his extensive field and studio experiences gained at important Turkish media organizations such as Konya TV, Kon TV, İhlas Haber Ajansı (İHA), Ülke TV, and TV100. 

Managing crisis moments should become a 'reflex'…

Özdemir, who gave examples of interesting live broadcast mishaps he experienced in these institutions coming from different publishing schools, emphasized that managing crisis moments should become a "reflex" for a journalist. He gave students strategic tips on how to professionally recover a situation by remaining honest with the audience, instead of panicking when a technical malfunction or unexpected event occurs during a broadcast.

Özdemir: "Legal boundaries and ethical principles are a journalist's greatest capital"

He underlined that adhering to legal boundaries and not compromising on ethical principles during crisis management is a journalist's greatest capital in the long run.
Özdemir advised future communicators to develop themselves in digital literacy and legal knowledge.