Digital Voices, Discursive Power: the Siege of Turkey's Digital News Media by Interpretive Journalism

Abstract

This study applies interpretative journalism, framing theory, and hybrid media theory to examine how independent Turkish journalists strategically use YouTube commentary to navigate restrictive political environments. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach-combining quantitative content analysis of 810 YouTube video titles and qualitative critical discourse analysis of 30 video transcripts from Turkish Journalists Fatih Altayl & imath;, Ru & scedil;en & Ccedil;ak & imath;r, and Murat Yetkin's YouTube channels-the research identifies distinct stylistic strategies including provocative populism, deliberative analysis, and contextual critique. Findings reveal that negative sentiment and crisis framing dominate headlines, serving both algorithmic visibility and public engagement, yet raising ethical concerns regarding sensationalism and polarization. Ultimately, the study underscores digital commentary journalism's complex role in sustaining democratic discourse under authoritarian pressures, highlighting both adaptive innovation and potential compromises in journalistic integrity.