Turkish daily apologizes for fabricated Chomsky interview

ISTANBUL

The newspaper accused Noam Chomsky of not remembering the answers and another email which he sent to Bulut during their email traffic.

Turkish daily Yeni Şafak has apologized for mistakes made in a controversial interview with American linguist, philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky, removing the interview from its website late Sept. 1. 

The daily released a statement on its website saying that “mistakes” had been spotted in the interview, which did not coincide with the principles of journalism and thus apologized to Chomsky and the newspaper’s readers. 

“Mistakes in some parts of the Noam Chomsky interview have been determined, which was published on Aug. 27, 2013, in Yeni Şafak with Burcu Bulut’s byline. We apologize to the distinguished Chomsky and to our readers for these mistakes that do not comply with journalism principles. The mentioned interview was removed from our website,” reads the statement.

The apology came a day after the daily released a statement admitting that three sentences of the interview were fabricated “in accordance with the procession of the answers.” While the adding of sentences was “not completely right,” the interview had no other misquotations, the statement claimed. The newspaper also accused Chomsky of not remembering the answers and another email which he sent to Bulut during their email traffic. 

Meanwhile, Bulut apologized on her personal Twitter account, admitting that she had made additions to Chomsky’s words and that she was to blame for her mistakes.

“I have made additions to the interview. Yes, I have made additions to a world-famous philosopher’s thoughts. I apologize to all readers and followers. Please do not disturb the lovely people of Yeni Şafak anymore. The fault is mine. I thank everyone for their interest,” Bulut said in her last tweets before closing her account.