Turkey's Disney+ Ataturk Series Sparks Controversy and Investigation

Turkey's state radio and television agency is investigating reports that Disney Plus canceled an upcoming series on Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of Turkey, amid pressure from Armenian American advocacy groups concerned about the portrayal of Ataturk's role in the Armenian genocide. Disney confirmed that the series will instead be released as two films, with the first airing on Fox in Turkey on Oct. 29 and the second premiering in Turkish theaters on Dec. 22. The company did not provide a reason for the change but stated it was part of its "revised content distribution strategy." Ataturk is widely celebrated in Turkey, and insulting his name is a criminal offense. Turkey disputes the Armenian genocide, while historians estimate that 1.5 million Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks were killed between 1915 and 1923.