A Look at the Nationalist Elements in the Diriliş Ertuğrul TV Series from Konya

Abstract

With the spread of television, it is a known fact that people watch television for long periods of time. The audience, who is bombarded with broadcasts during the hours spent in front of the screen, can be affected by what they see on the screen. With the increase in the influence and power of television, it is seen that the programs broadcasted have diversified and the situations that societies are in are reflected in television broadcasts. Series, which are a type of broadcast that is watched with interest by people, have an important place in television programs. It is in line with the flow of life that series that touch on people's sensitive points are more impressive. Historical series are also followed with interest because they remind people of the good days they miss and remember with longing. We see that the national and spiritual elements of the society are reflected in these series. The Diriliş Ertuğrul series that we will examine also appears as a production in which national elements are heavily present. Whether the messages reflected from television are read in the direction that the media wants is one of the main issues that communication theorists focus on. The theory of ‘Coding-Decoding’ put forward by Stuart Hall, which is within the tradition of Cultural Studies, argues that the audience can read in three different ways, namely dominant, negotiating and oppositional reading, depending on the situation. This approach, with a new discourse, has placed the audience in a position where they struggle with the messages sent, contrary to the view that had been held until then. The aim of this study is to determine how the nationalist elements in the Diriliş Ertuğrul series are received by the audience.