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An award-winning newscaster from Turkish network TGRT Haber was immediately fired after appearing on camera with a Starbucks coffee cup, the news channel announced Sunday.
TGRT Haber announced that Meltem Günay and the director of her show were fired after she presented the news with a Starbucks cup in front of her during a live broadcast on Christmas Eve.
In a statement posted on X and shared by Messenger News, TGRT Haber said Günay had violated strict advertising restrictions.
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The broadcaster also said the host had angered viewers in the predominantly Muslim country who were “sensitive” about Starbucks' stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
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A Turkish news anchor was fired for leaving a Starbucks coffee cup on her desk during a live broadcast. (iStock)
“[I]“The announcer is strictly prohibited from presenting on TGRT News TV in a manner that secretly promotes a company,” the said statement said.
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“Our institution has an understanding that knows the Turkish people's sensitivities towards Gaza and will defend it to the end. It is absolutely impossible to approve actions or publications that contradict this. We do not condone this action by the moderator and director whose employment contracts were terminated and we condemn this in the strongest possible terms. For this reason, their employment contracts were terminated,” it continues.
The network reiterated its continued support for Gaza and the Turkish people.
Starbucks and its locations faced boycotts and vandalism due to the conflict with Workers United because the coffee company was considered pro-Israel.
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A Starbucks location in Philadelphia was vandalized during a protest on Sunday evening, December 3, 2023. (Karen Closekey via Storyful)
In October, Starbucks sued the union after it published a now-deleted post expressing “support for the violence perpetrated by Hamas.”
Shortly after Hamas invaded southern Israel on October 7, the Starbucks Workers United account posted “Solidarity with Palestine!” on X.
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To distance itself from the group, Starbucks sued Workers United over the use of its name, logo and intellectual property.
The coffee company did not clearly comment on support for Israel or the Palestinians, but released a statement on October 18 condemning “violence in the region.”
Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Daniella Genovese of Fox Business contributed to this report.