From Intellectual Standard-Bearer to Middle-Market Tabloid: The Tumultuous Evolution of Milliyet Newspaper
In short: Founded in 1950, Milliyet once defined the gold standard of Turkish journalism under editor Abdi İpekçi. Yet, the paper has undergone a radical transformation, shifting from its upmarket roots to a sensationalist editorial style while navigating decades of corporate ownership battles, government pressure, and high-profile editorial purges.
Launched on May 3, 1950, at the Nuri Akça press in Istanbul, Milliyet began as a private daily under Ali Naci Karacan. Its most influential era arrived under editor-in-chief Abdi İpekçi, who elevated the Turkish press by implementing rigorous journalistic criteria. This era of prestige was tragically interrupted on February 1, 1979, when İpekçi was assassinated by Mehmet Ali Ağca, the same individual who later targeted Pope John Paul II. Following this period, the paper’s trajectory shifted significantly, particularly after 1994, when it moved away from its intellectual, upmarket foundations toward a middle-market approach that mirrors the sensationalist style of publications like The Sun.
The newspaper’s corporate history is marked by frequent instability and rapid changes in control. Originally held by the Karacan family, the publication was sold to Aydın Doğan in 1979, with Erdoğan Demirören also divesting his 25% stake to the same buyer. The ownership structure became even more volatile in the late 1990s; in October 1998, the paper was briefly acquired by Korkmaz Yiğit, only to be returned to previous owners weeks later when his business interests collapsed due to fraud allegations. By May 2011, a joint venture between the Demirören and Karacan groups took over, though financial and legal disputes led to the Demirören Group assuming full control by February 2012.
In recent years, Milliyet has faced intense scrutiny regarding editorial independence and government influence. The paper has been accused of self-censorship, notably suppressing columns that questioned the administration's response to press leaks. This climate of pressure culminated in the dismissal of several prominent journalists. In early 2012, Ece Temelkuran and Nuray Mert were fired following their critical coverage of the government, including the handling of the December 2011 Uludere massacre. By 2013, the newspaper also terminated columnists Hasan Cemal and Can Dündar, both of whom had maintained critical stances against the AKP government. Despite these controversies, the paper remains a significant digital force, having launched the first Turkish newspaper archive in 2009.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Milliyet
- Also: Wikidata — Milliyet · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Milliyet · CC0
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