Reflections of the September 12, 1980 Coup in Particular to the Ordu Press

Abstract

Throughout the history of the Republic of Türkiye, the relationship between the military and politics has always been deeply intertwined. The military has consistently maintained a significant influence over politics, often through issuing memorandums or orchestrating coups in an attempt to steer the direction of governance. From the perspective of Turkish democratic history, the military coup of September 12, 1980 stands out as one of the most dramatic events in the history of the Republic. Escalating nationwide anarchy, economic problems, and the inability of politicians to resolve ongoing issues turned the situation into a tangled crisis that became increasingly intractable.

This coup received extensive coverage in both national and local media, and in this context, local newspapers also served as valuable archival sources that shed light on the period, just as national newspapers did. However, in the specific case of the province of Ordu, the perspective of the local press and its role in communicating and framing the coup for the local population has not been the subject of much scholarly attention. Based on this need, this study aims to examine how the local press in Ordu shed light on and influenced society during the aftermath of the coup.

To this end, the archives of Ordu Sesi, Ordu Havadis, and Yeni Haber newspapers will be analyzed to explore the developments of the time from their perspective. Before examining the local press, the study will first outline the process leading up to the coup and the general stance of the national press.