Constitution Making and the Media in Turkey: Polarization, Partisanship and Polarization of the Printed Press covering the constitution-making process 2011-2013

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The media plays a prominent role in democratic constitution making, and usually partakes in processes of public deliberation through different channels. Analyzing the media coverage of the Constitutional Reconciliation Commission between 2011 and 2013, I show that a high degree of polarization, partisanship and polarization shaped the media coverage of major newspapers in Turkey through a content analysis of the Presidential debate. Ultimately, I argue that the media failed to fulfill its foreseen function, and contributed to the overall failure of the process.