Famous For 15 Minutes
Last week, it was Mehmet Altinsoy's turn to become famous by bringing the 1988 assassination attempt on the late President Turgut Ozal back onto the nation's agenda. Altinsoy is the politician who alleged that "Ozal was not injured by a bullet in the assassination attempt, he cut his hand on a piece of broken glass as he bent over."
Also experiencing his 15 minutes of fame was the journalist who included Altinsoy's quote in his book. After Orhan Tokatli's book was published, Altinsoy's allegation appeared in the headlines of a mass-circulation newspaper. Immediately following this, the television channels started broadcasting debates about his claim. Almost every columnist has written on this issue.
Mehmet Altinsoy started his political career in the 1960s. He served as deputy, minister and mayor of Ankara. During his 30-year-long political career, he must have made important statements, he must have taken part in important political events; but still, he was known by only a hand full of people. The assassination attempt on Ozal took place in front of thousands of people during his party's convention and was broadcast live on all the television channels. Looked at in this light, their were millions of eyewitnesses to this attempt. It is interesting that Mehmet Altinsoy, who for 30 years failed to become famous, has to voice an allegation that is completely wrong in order to become famous.
The same is true for Tokatli, who quoted Altinsoy in his book about the Ozal period. Tokatli is one of the veterans of our profession. Before his retirement, he was the Ankara representative of Milliyet. It was possible to read in his column the points of views of various power circles. Tokatli was particularly close to military and judiciary bureaucrats. Although his byline appeared on many news stories, his name was not familiar to people outside the media. Now he is enjoying his late and surprising fame from his retirement home on Ayvalik's Cunda Island.
Fame for 15 minutes only carries importance for the famous. For ordinary people, these incidents cause confusion. Newspaper headlines and lead stories on the TV news are not well-understood by the people who are supposed to be the consumers of newspapers and television news. They don't care if eye witnesses like us say Altinsoy's allegations are weird... Young people who weren't able to watch the assassination attempt on Ozal in 1988 and those who are ambitious in nature may ask, after getting all this confused information, "Could it be?" There are even some people who were in the convention hall when the attempt took place and who saw the incident who are saying, "Altinsoy is right."
Two important mediatic events occurred within the month before the allegations related to the Ozal assassination attempt made it to the headlines. One of them was the suicide attempt of State Minister Hikmet Ulugbay, who is responsible for economic affairs. It's been 15 days now, but we still haven't learned what really happened. Details as to whether he attempted to commit suicide in his bedroom or in his study should be discussed. We learned that Ulugbay placed his Smith & Wesson on his chin and pulled the trigger, but according to a doctor, he held the gun to his forehead and fired.
The "reason" for Ulubgay's act is very complicated: It was thought that he had attempted to commit suicide because he was anxious about the country's economic situation following his negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and about manipulation of the stock markets. However, it was also claimed that he had family problems, because he shook his finger at his wife while he was being taken to the hospital. Some said, "The minister's son is also involved in the stock-market speculation,' and others believed this.
The other mediatic event of the last month was the video tapes of Fethullah Gülen, who is known as a religious person and who incites his supporters to open schools both in Turkey and abroad. Gülen's activities were being viewed with suspicion, though it was common knowledge that the movement he led did not conflict in any manner with the country's established values. The video tapes were aired after parts from the beginning and end were cut out, which presented the image of another Fethullah Gülen, one who intends to take over the state. In "15 minutes" we discussed and wore out Fethullah Gülen based on a video tape.
The practice of awarding individuals 15 minutes of fame practice is gaining a harmful character that is adversely affecting political life and social values. Andy Warhol, who is the forerunner of the pop-art movement, never thought that the misuse of the media would harm democracy when he made his comment. However, the Turkish media, which creates an atmosphere in which everybody is suspicious of everybody else and which never lets any issue reach a conclusion, is really harming democracy.
In this atmosphere of conflict, we must wait and see whether people will become "famous in 15 minutes" or "victims in 15 minutes."
TURKISH DAILY NEWS
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