Mehmet Ali Birand (9 December 1941 – 17 January 2013) was a journalist, political commentator and writer.

Biography

He was born to İzzet and his wife Mürvet on 9 December 1941 in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. His mother's father, Şerif Bey, was of Kurdish descent from Palu, Elazığ. Şerif Bey settled in Ereğli, Zonguldak, and married there a Turkish woman named Seniye Hanım. Birand's maternal uncle was a diplomat, Mahmut Dikerdem. He completed his high school education at Galatasaray High School.

Career

Birand began his journalism career in 1964 by writing in the newspaper Milliyet. In 1992, he joined Show TV as a news presenter. Birand began hosting a political show titled 32. Gün (The 32nd Day), which was first on TRT in 1985 and then moved to other private TV channels as CNN Türk and Show TV. He also presented the daily news on CNN Türk. Before his death in 2013, he worked at Kanal D, hosting the news. He also authored several books including 30 Sıcak Gün, Diyet, Türkiye'nin Avrupa Macerası, 12 Eylül 04.00 and Emret Komutanım. Birand was also a member of Galatasaray's board and uncommitted governance council. In 2006, he said that JITEM had asked Mahmut Yıldırım (Yeşil) to assassinate him, but that the operation was later cancelled, after Yıldırım had already investigated Birand's home security. Birand said that MIT chief Şenkal Atasagun was one of those who had told him of this episode.

Death

Birand died on 17 January 2013 from complications of gallbladder surgery to replace a stent at the American Hospital in Istanbul. He had been receiving cancer treatment for a while. He was 71 years old.

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