The fourth lesson of the training course “Storytelling and Content Production” held at the AA Istanbul International News Center was delivered by journalist Ahmet Şefik Yeşiltepe.

Yeşiltepe, who explained that journalism is also undergoing change, said, “In today’s dynamic environment of change, is it information or narrative? We are experiencing one of the most critical turning points in modern journalism. There is a dynamic of change in politics, social life, cultural life, technology, industry, and many other areas, but on the other hand, we are not immune to this; we journalists are right in the middle of this dynamic of change."

Yeşiltepe stated that one of the greatest misconceptions of the 21st century is the idea that more information leads to more understanding, adding, "Yet today, we are facing the most intense data flow in human history, with billions of pieces of content being produced every day. The average individual has been exposed to approximately five times more information since 1986, over the past 40 years. Of course, this increase not only boosts understanding capacity but also exacerbates the attention crisis."

Stating that the problem is no longer the lack of information, Yeşiltepe continued:

"Arguments make you think, stories make you feel; arguments are temporary, but stories are permanent. The effort to add meaning to the news, beyond the postman-type reporter, has become the story of our time. Everyone gives a breaking news story. On social media, the truth and accuracy are always debated, but we see that narratives containing a plot, i.e., a story, along with meaning and truth, have come to the fore in journalism and have become more attention-grabbing, and have also come to occupy a very valuable place in terms of methods of reporting the news. The modern journalist must now be concerned not only with the 5Ws and 1H, but also with the impact created by accuracy, the speed of the news, and the permanence created by the story. In other words, the modern journalist must have a identity that can do both. The journalist is now a storyteller; today's journalist is not a data transmitter, but a meaning maker.

The Creative Thinking and Idea Development training aims to integrate the technical design skills gained by participants with AA's global brand identity and transform each participant's output into a professional brand output that serves the corporate strategy.