Abstract:

Deutsche Welle (DW) began its broadcasting life on 3rd May in Cologne. Today, it is a significant German media company broadcasting from Bonn and Berlin on radio, TV and web in 30 different languages. Its radio and web services are offered from Bonn. Addressing to a wide group of community, DW tried to evaluate the 15 July coup attempt in parallel with the Western world’s ways of dealing with matters and in an appropriate manner that would be required by its position. The scope of this study is limited to the news broadcasted by DW from the 15 July coup attempt until the declaration of the State of Emergency. According to DW; democratic processes in Turkey had been exposed to military interventions for many times since 1960. But this time, the case was very sensitive. The democratic constitutional order was under a great threat. Turkey had a significant position regarding the battle against the terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq (DAESH). And clearly, Europe needed Turkey in the Refugees Issue. So, while the need for following a definite attitude against the coup and coup plotters was mentioned; the President of the Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who made great efforts in order not to allow the attempters to reach their aims, was tried to be introduced almost like an enemy of democracy, a dictator, an opportunist, a liar and a leader that would raise difficulties for Europe. On the other hand, supporters of Gülen was tried to be shown as innocent. People from all strata of the public who went out to streets/squares and tried to stop the coup were introduced to be the supporters of the President of the Republic, Erdoğan, only. But the clearest thing I observed as a participant/resister in the attempt given against the coup was that, the people who participated in the resistance act were from different strata of the public.

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