Image of the Presidency of Religious Affairs: A Study on Media Columnists' Perception of Religious Affairs

The Presidency of Religious Affairs is one of the most widely discussed institutions in the Turkish media in institutional terms. In this context, it is important to understand how the Diyanet organization is perceived by the public and what kind of image it holds. This study investigates how the media perceives the image of the Presidency of Religious Affairs through the analysis of columns written by opinion leaders. Using the quantitative content analysis method, this study handles columnists as opinion leaders based on the two-step flow theory. The research has been conducted using quota sampling and maximum diversity sampling on 20 media outlets that have most frequently featured the Presidency of Religious Affairs, covering a 10 -year dataset from 2013 to 2022. According to the findings of the study, when looking at the overall image of the institution, it has been determined that the Presidency of Religious Affairs is perceived negatively in the columns. As a reflection of the political polarization in Turkey, the perception of the Diyanet institution has become more polarized as well. Khutbahs and waazes are among the tools of Religious Affairs to reach society in terms of non -formal education. On the other hand, the fatwa mechanism has the function of interpreting and guiding social life in terms of religion. The negative perception of these requires a review of the language of religion used in non -formal religious education and the existing methods of ensuring the harmony between daily needs and religious texts. Regarding gender distribution and the way themes are addressed in articles about the Diyanet, it can be specified that a male-dominated perspective prevails. This may be interpreted as an indication that masculine discourse and interpretation dominate religious-centered discussions. When examining the articles, it is also apparent that the Diyanet institution's economic activities are perceived negatively. Generally, the study shows that media outlets' perspectives on the Presidency of Religious Affairs tend to differ more along political lines rather than ideological ones.