“We prioritise the topics society is sensitive about; therefore, we have cancelled the program”

After the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Beyoğlu Municipality Mayor Candidate Alper Taş mentioned “LGBTİ” during TV5’s program “the Matters in Question with Çağla Cilara”, the channel’s presenter was fired and the program was cancelled.

Source: “We prioritise the topics the society is sensitive about; therefore, we have cancelled the program” (Toplumsal hassasiyetleri önceleyeceğiz, programı yayından kaldırdık) Gözde Demirbilek, KaosGL, March 5, 2019

https://kaosgl.org/sayfa.php?id=27754&fbclid=IwAR310VJiERp3wzaEwtY0fSnnrPSKEpuVC7hTLmi78tsUdvjrHAbI1xyK180

Çağlar Cilara hosted the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Beyoğlu Municipality Mayor Candidate Alper Taş on the program “the Matters in Question” which he presented on TV channel 5, a channel founded by Necmettin Erbakan. During the program, he asked Taş the questions of the audience. In the previous days, Alper Taş had been a guest on the program “Human Rights Agenda” which lawyer Veysel Ok presents, and Taş had stated there “we will establish LGBTİ assemblies”. This statement of his was a topic of the program “the Matters in Question” as well. When Cilara asked questions about LGBTİ issues, Taş answered as follows:

“I stand by my words. Our LGBTİ citizens are our people. The majority of them live in Beyoğlu. They suffer from intense pressure and cruelty due to their sexual orientations, preferences. We will ensure them to live as a human because they are human. Their sexual orientation, identities are none of our business. We won’t look at their identities, we won’t look at their sexual orientation. We will look at whether or not there are citizens living in Beyoğlu, whether or not they are human. Starting from this, I as the municipality mayor candidate will follow their problems and solve the problems they revealed via their own assemblies, in order to help them to live in Beyoğlu without suffering from cruelty and pressure. The people do not become the way they are by specifically and consciously preferring it, it is something natural.”

The program’s presenter Çağlar Cilara replied him by saying “Yes, they were born this way”.

“There is a huge rage towards them as if they are not humans, not beings, not a part of the society. As a result, our thoughts are the same today as they were yesterday and there is no contradiction. We stand by the words we expressed for LGBTİ people. We will not take a single step back from it”, added Taş.

TV5 cancelled the program

After the questions about LGBTİ individuals had been asked, TV5 stated “We prioritise the topics society is sensitive about as well as those which are in line with our moral values, so we will continue broadcasting unwaveringly hereof.” declaring that they had separated ways with Çağlar Cilara and the program has been cancelled:

“The opinions and thoughts stated by Beyoğlu Municipality Mayor Candidate Alper Taş who was a guest on the program the Matters in Question with Çağlar Cilara represented his ideas. None of them are reflective of TV5.”

“One of the basic broadcasting principles of TV5 is to consider topics society is sensitive about as well as our moral values. Despite knowing our loyalty to this fact, trying to present these statements as if they reflect the general broadcasting policy of TV5 lacks fairness, morality, and understanding. As a channel that broadcasts many programs live on each day of the week with the slogan “everyone having a word to say” and hosts several guests of every opinion, not every agenda should be brought up as if it reflects TV5’s broadcasting policy. This attitude is clearly a operation to manipulate people’s perception.”

“However, TV5’s broadcasting board decided to cancel this program in order to prevent these perception operations, attempted before the elections. TV5 will continue broadcasting unwaveringly hereof. In future, just like in past TV5 will prioritise topics which society is sensitive about as well as those in line with our moral values. We kindly declare this to the public.

“I will keep asking, do not worry”

Cilara shared TV5’s statement while stating “My adventure at TV5 is over. The journalists in Turkey are torn between political polarisation, conflict, and noise. I asked my question, presented the news. I presented more than 3 thousand programs within 8 years. More than 10 thousand news articles were written from my programs.  Do not worry, I will keep asking questions.”

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