Republic of Türkiye

[TR] Turkish Broadcasting Code of Conduct

IRIS 2007-8:1/34

Selcuk Akkas

Akkas & Associates Law Firm, Istanbul

A “Broadcasting Code of Conduct” consisting of 12 Articles, prepared by the Radyo ve Televizyon Ust Kurulu (Turkish Radio Television Supreme Council - RTÜK) and the Turkish Television Broadcasters Association, was signed on 3 July 2007 by Turkish television broadcasting companies including: TRT, Samanyolu TV, ATV, Kanal D, Show TV, NTV, CNN Türk, Kanal 7, Kanal A, Kral TV, Fox, Cine 5, TV8, CNBC-E, Flash TV, Kanal 1, Digitürk, Powertürk, Skytürk, and Habertürk. The main idea of this Code of Conduct is to promote a clean and safe broadcasting environment among all the companies in this sector. The 12 articles of the Code of Conduct read as follows:

1. To show respect to the honour, rights, and freedom of individuals;

2. Freedom of expression and rights of access to all valid and impartial news without any limitations;

3. Not to use broadcasting power for one’s own benefit and objectives;

4. To protect multi-culturalism and a broad range of expression;

5. Not to discriminate on the grounds of race, colour, language, religion, and sex and to prevent humiliation and prejudice in broadcasting;

6. To show respect for the right to reply and right to corrections of persons and other entities;

7. To show common sense during crisis and when the public faces a great danger;

8. Not to encourage violence or to legitimise it;

9. To show respect the individual’s private life and privacy;

10. To pay regard to women’s problems;

11. To protect children and teenagers from incidental and inadequate content;

12. To attend to the needs, preferences and sensitivity of viewers.