Students of the Turkish Language and Literature Department Conducted an Academic Field Visit to Nil TV News Center as Part of the Branded Course
Turkish Language and Literature Students Visit the Heart of Media: Nil TV Field Trip with Production, Editing, and AI Workshop
On December 10, 2025, 3rd-year students of our Turkish Language and Literature Department conducted a comprehensive field visit to Mersin Nil TV as part of the course “Literary Theory and Criticism: AI Writing – Critique and Creativity 5” led by Prof. Dr. Elmas Şahin. Under the theme “A Day of Inspiration from the Newsroom to the Control Room,” students had the opportunity to examine the production processes of the media industry firsthand.
The visit showcased the practical implementation of Prof. Dr. Şahin’s teaching model, which emphasizes critical thinking, creative production, media literacy, sustainable broadcasting, and AI–human collaborative learning. Students observed how theoretical concepts studied in class are applied in real media environments, gaining an interdisciplinary learning experience.
It also served as the applied component of the research and development project “Literature, AI, and Sustainability: Transformation, Critique, Comparative Literature, and Partnership-Based Learning Models in Modern Turkish Literature.” Through this, students developed a multi-dimensional perspective, connecting literature with media, digital culture, and the creative industries.
A Close Look at Media Production Processes
Students were welcomed by Nil TV Editor-in-Chief Ebru Özden and TV Institution Manager Kaan Sezer. Throughout the day, they explored all aspects of television broadcasting, including the newsroom, studio, control room, editing-production units, and broadcast flow. This experience allowed them to observe the practical application of concepts covered in class, such as narrative economy, rhythm, dramatic structure, digital transformation, AI-assisted production, media ethics, and critical media literacy.
The Nil TV team shared their expertise in the following areas:
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Ebru Özden (Editor-in-Chief): Broadcasting policies, news flow, and television management
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Melisa Sönmez (Production & Editing): Program preparation, editing, and content flow
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Rojin Süngü (Production – Editing – AI): AI-assisted editing techniques and digital content creation
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Tuğba Yürük (News Anchor): Newswriting, diction, and studio presentation
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Yiğit Gökdeniz (Cameraman): Camera techniques, studio, and field shooting
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Mehmet Uysal (News Director): Control room management, broadcast flow, and news coordination
These interactions helped students compare literary and media-based narrative forms from a critical perspective.
Students’ First Live Broadcast Experience
A highlight of the visit was students’ participation in the live midday news broadcast. During this hour-and-a-half session, students gained practical experience in body language, voice and expression techniques, quick thinking, screen-appropriate communication, and news rhythm, directly supporting the course’s aim of experiencing critical production, creative expression, and the intersection of media and literature in the field.
Valuable Contribution to Interdisciplinary Learning
Nil TV hosted students in a warm and interactive environment. Observing the “behind the scenes” of television broadcasting provided significant academic and professional development opportunities. At the end of the visit, Prof. Dr. Elmas Şahin presented signed novels and academic books to the Nil TV team. Students described the experience as “inspiring, educational, creative, and transformative.”
Strengthening Institutional Collaboration
This productive meeting further strengthened the academic–field collaboration between our University and Nil TV. Future visits, media events, and joint productions are planned to continue supporting students’ creative work.
