FATMA KEBER
As the second anniversary of the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquakes approaches, journalists in Adıyaman — a city flattened by the disaster — say they are still grappling with the same challenges they faced on the first day of the tragedy. While they strive to document ongoing struggles and amplify local voices, reporters highlight a lack of resources, equipment, and institutional support, forcing them to persist under extremely difficult conditions.
"We called out for help then, and we are still asking now"
Metin Harıkçı, head of the Adıyaman Internet Broadcasters Journalists Association and a Sabah newspaper reporter, said journalists couldn’t perform their duties in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, as they were focused on rescuing loved ones. "We lost 11 journalists in the earthquake, and our work stopped completely. Our workplaces were destroyed, our equipment — cameras, laptops, everything — remained under the rubble. The only thing we could save was our mobile phones, and we tried to report through them," Harıkçı recounted.
Harıkçı emphasized that despite some basic aid for food and shelter, local journalists have received no equipment support from national or international media institutions. "We needed tools to continue our profession — laptops, cameras, broadcast equipment — but got nothing. Even now, nearly two years later, we are surviving with our own limited means," he added.
"Two choices: save loved ones or report the news"
Mustafa Çeliker, a local media reporter who lost his daughter in the earthquake, underscored the extreme difficulties journalists endured in those chaotic early days. "We had to choose: either save your loved ones or do your job and report what was happening. There was no internet, no electricity, just absolute chaos. Even through our pain, we still tried to bring attention to what was going on," Çeliker said.
He explained that local media, traditionally dependent on advertising and institutional subscriptions, have been hit especially hard. "Our studio and equipment — cameras, tools for live broadcasting — were destroyed. To rebuild today would cost at least 500-600 thousand lira. Without outside support, it’s simply not possible."
Ongoing obstacles and lack of normalization
Though a temporary “press site” with container offices was set up and some media operations resumed, Harıkçı noted that inadequate internet infrastructure continues to severely hinder reporting. "Adıyaman has yet to return to any form of normalcy. The press here is barely surviving — and all while journalists continue sharing their city’s pain and advocating for solutions," he said.
"Nothing has changed since day one"
Both Harıkçı and Çeliker criticized the lack of institutional or financial support for regional journalists, who often operate under precarious conditions. "We are still where we were on the first day. Adıyaman suffered tremendous damage — nearly 70% of the city’s population was affected. At this point, if we can return to a pre-earthquake situation in 7 or 8 years, that would count as a success," Çeliker said.
The struggles of Adıyaman’s press highlight broader concerns across Turkey’s earthquake-affected regions, where local journalists persist despite economic hardship, destroyed infrastructure, and an ongoing need for technical and institutional support.
