Republic of Türkiye

[TR] Broadcasting Act Amended

IRIS 2002-8:1/34

Rainer Großhans

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

In August 2002, the Turkish Parliament adopted Act no. 4756 amending the Broadcasting Act (Act no. 3984 of 20 April 1994).

The most important amendment is the addition of Article 4, under which programmes in various languages and dialects are permitted. In principle, programmes should be broadcast in Turkish, although exceptions are possible for languages that are commonly used by Turkish citizens in everyday life. Another new addition is an article which permits the retransmission of programmes from abroad.

Furthermore the Act contains provisions concerning sanctions, the composition of the Supreme Audiovisual Council (RTÜK) as well as provisions concerning ownership rights, mergers and takeovers in the broadcasting sector. Principles applicable to all programmes are also laid down. These include, for example, the ban on programmes which "harm the continued existence and independence of the Turkish Republic, the territorial and national integrity of the State and the Atatürk reforms and principles" or which "incite the population to violence, terror or ethnic discrimination".