Erdogan: Control, conflict, conglomerates

This week, a special edition of the Listening Post takes an in-depth look at the relationship between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the media landscape in which he operates.

One aspect of that relationship was revealed last month when audio files were leaked online in which Erdogan could be heard giving personal directions to a top executive at one of Turkey’s biggest news channels. That it was the prime minister himself who made the call speaks volumes about a political leader who is highly sensitive about the media crossing lines.

However, this is not simply a story of the media bending to the political will of a powerful leader; often they are more than happy to do so.

Many of the most influential outlets in Turkey’s private media are tied to the government through their owners - big players in the Turkish economy whose political connections are crucial to their profits.