The News Value, Structural Characteristics and Circulation Patterns of Fake News: An Analysis Based on Verified Examples

Abstract

With the rise of new media platforms in news production and consumption, false andmisleading content has become a significant problem that not only leads to informationpollution but also influences public debates, social perceptions, and political processes. Suchcontent is often consumed without questioning its accuracy and, due to its news-likepresentation, can be perceived as ‘true’ by large audiences. This study aims to move theproblem of false news beyond debates centered solely on content accuracy by revealing thejournalistic codes through which false and misleading content circulating in the media is constructed and presented as “news-like. To this end, 583 pieces of content flagged as false ormisleading by teyit.org, a platform combating disinformation in Turkey, between 1 September2024 and 1 October 2025 were examined. The contents included in the sample, based on a purposive sampling method, was analysed using content analysis method across categoriessuch as news values, 5W-1H application, narrative format, objectivity, visual use, anddistribution channels. The research findings show that fake news focuses on socially sensitiveissues such as security and politics, which are important in journalism and have high publicimpact potential, and that it intensively uses news values, particularly negativity, timeliness, impact and surprise. It was concluded that this type of content production should be understood as a practice that strategically mimics journalistic values, structures, andpresentation styles.