Representation and reality in media: Reflection of Ağrı Rebellion to the Turkish press (1929-1930)

According to the mainstream approaches, media reflects the reality as it is. However, critical approaches have refuted this thesis in various ways. According to this paradigm, aside from being a mirror of reality, the media emerges as an institution with the function of constructing the reality. The media creates an image of reality with the forms of discourse it develops about social phenomena and is involved in a construction process. The media presents the reality it constructs about the facts as an absolute truth by making use of the meaning-making practices of the language. In this study, it is aimed to reveal what kind of reality the media built about the Ağrı Rebellion that took place between 1926-1930, what kind of discourse it produced, and to reveal what kind of perception was formed about the Kurdish question. In the study, the news stories published in the newspapers Cumhuriyet, Akşam, Vakit, Son Posta and Milliyet between June and September 1930 were examined. The news stories were analyzed using the critical discourse analysis method of Teun A. van Dijk. In the mentioned period, it is seen that the media framed the rebellion primarily and basically as cases of theft. The rebels, on the other hand, are referred to as bandits. In addition, it is stated that the rebellion was organized by foreign powers, it was a reactionary activity and ultimately a Kurdish rebellion. However, it has been seen that these themes are also given with the emphasis of banditry. The government and army are positively represented, while the rebellion and rebels are consistently represented negatively. The press has constantly reproduced this reality which it has built about the Ağrı Rebellion and has turned it into a hegemonic discourse.