Turkish reporter mistakes GTA IV cheat codes for secret messages used by attempted coup plotters

[midian182]

Turkey is still recovering from the attempted coup that took place last month, which was orchestrated by a faction within the country’s military. Many Turkish reporters are trying to uncover facts about what happened that night, but it seems one presenter was a bit over-optimistic when she pulled a notebook from some garbage. It did contain codes, but rather than being related to the coup, which she was convinced of, they were actually cheat codes for Grand Theft Auto IV.

““There are some interesting notes found in the garbage which are thrown by Gulenists (supporters of the coup),” the ATV Ana Haber news reporter says to the camera. “The writings in this notebook look like codes for the coup.”

She then reads off the labels found next to the codes: health and weapon, health and armor, weather, helicopter, motorcycle. “All things that can be used in a coup.” But while her determination to find a story can’t be questioned, her knowledge of video games may be suspect, as she doesn’t realize they’re codes for the 2008 game - though the “GTA IV Cheat Codes” scrawled at the top is a big hint that the plotters' plans didn’t involve controlling the weather.

Amazingly, a number of sources say the clip is 100 percent genuine and not a fake, as you may think. But the fact that someone needed to write down cheat codes for an 8-year-old game is just as incredible as mistaking them for military secrets.

This isn’t the first time news outlets have mixed games with reality. Back in May, the Russian embassy posted a screenshot from classic PC strategy game Command and Conquer: Generals to illustrate extremist activities.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/65847-turkish-reporter-mistakes-gta-iv-cheat-codes-secret.html

 

[davislane1]

Too bad it wasn't a Turok game. Would have made for a sensational headline:

BEWAREOBLIVIONISATHAND

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I wouldn't have thought many people on this planet have never heard of the GTA series franchise. She must be one of the three.

 

[Uncle Al]

Oh my God .... almost as funny as when the Japanese discovered the US made hula hoop and mistakened it for a new medical miracle! Oh god, I'm laughing so hard I think I wet my pants .... again!

 

[Kibaruk]

You never saw that video a newsreport made on Grog? The new dangerous drink crazy cool kids are drinking?? (Which was taken from Monkey Island if you didn't know, which contained Kerosene, Battery Acid, Acetone, among other things which might have put anyone off).

In that kids defence, there are a lot of country where internet access at home is still not a priority and people can't afford it, so it's not that crazy someone had to write a code down =P

 

[mcborge]

Wow! Talk about clueless... maybe she thought this little revelation might win her an award or put her in better favor with the government. I bet she felt as smug as hell when her piece to camera wrapped.

 

[Kenrick]

Operationcwal
somethingfornothing
foodforthought

 

[wiyosaya]

This reporter has probably been laughed off the face of the planet by at least a few, however, I would not be surprised if there are more than a few that have not heard of GTA. IMHO, while we think that this kind of mistake would be made by those distant from us, all it takes is a shifting of the political tides, such as in Turkey, for cheat codes to become the secret code of the works of terrorists.

 

[meric]

This reporter has probably been laughed off the face of the planet by at least a few, however, I would not be surprised if there are more than a few that have not heard of GTA. IMHO, while we think that this kind of mistake would be made by those distant from us, all it takes is a shifting of the political tides, such as in Turkey, for cheat codes to become the secret code of the works of terrorists.

Wow! Talk about clueless... maybe she thought this little revelation might win her an award or put her in better favor with the government. I bet she felt as smug as hell when her piece to camera wrapped.

You don't get it. I live in Turkey. The thing is, it's not about how the reporter felt or what she expected for herself when making this "report", not even about if she was aware of the mentioned game. The shocking fact is that there are millions in this country that has the potential to actually believe this report is true This is little "USA" where millions are abused/manipulted with these kinds of "perception management" (or whatever the technical term is). The only difference is, USA people face this "management" in a higher level due to their higher average education standards

 

[mcborge]

You don't get it. I live in Turkey. The thing is, it's not about how the reporter felt or what she expected for herself when making this "report", not even about if she was aware of the mentioned game. The shocking fact is that there are millions in this country that has the potential to actually believe this report is true This is little "USA" where millions are abused/manipulted with these kinds of "perception management" (or whatever the technical term is). The only difference is, USA people face this "management" in a higher level due to their higher average education standards

I hate to admit it but its like that in the uk too. Since the tory's got in power and started bashing the poor and disabled, we have rupert murdoch's, tv channels trying there hardest to make the poor look as rotten, un trust worthy and as worthless as they possibly can to help the tory's with their agenda. And because the bbc is supposed to be neutral, the government is desperate to destroy it. Governments favor media outlets they can control the most to fool the people and this reporter is part of that media, albeit in different country.