Department of Permits and Allocations
Q1: What should we do to be a broadcaster and to broadcast?
A1: According to Law No. 6112, a broadcast license may be granted to joint stock companies established in accordance with the provisions of Turkish Commercial Law for the purpose of exclusively providing radio, television and on-demand broadcast service.
Currently, it is possible to broadcast on cable and/or satellite medium provided that a license is granted by the Supreme Council.
In order to be able to broadcast through the terrestrial medium, shares of a company which has a temporary broadcasting permit have to be acquired.
Q2: What are the broadcast license types and terms of satellite and cable licenses?
A2: According to Art. 27 of Law No 6112, media service providing enterprises have to obtain separate licenses from RTÜK for each of the broadcast technique (standard definition SD/high definition HD) and broadcast transmission medium (Satellite, cable and similar medium).
It is clearly mentioned on the license document which license technique and medium the license is granted for.
Enterprises, requested to broadcast through various mediums with different broadcast techniques, have to broadcast simultaneously.
The term of broadcast license is ten years.
Q3: How can we obtain broadcast license for terrestrial medium?
A3: RTÜK has not issued terrestrial license for any enterprises except the ones broadcast through satellite and cable medium.
Companies currently making radio and television broadcasting through the terrestrial medium are the ones which have applied in 1995 within the application period and which broadcast in the framework of provisional regime stated in the Provisional Art. 4 par 1 of Law No. 6112.
These companies are allowed to make broadcasting as long as they fulfil their obligations entitled to the Supreme Council according to Provisional Art 4 par 1 of Law No 6112 on a provisional basis and provided that they do not constitute acquired rights.
Q4: Is it possible for the radio and television companies which have licenses only for satellite and/or cable medium to broadcast through terrestrial transmitters or their broadcasts to be transmitted by any person?
A4: It is prohibited according to Law No 6112 for the radio and television companies which have obtained license from RTÜK in order to broadcast to the public via satellite medium and/or only to cable subscribers to transmit these broadcasts via terrestrial transmitters or for any person to receive and transmit these broadcasts via terrestrial transmitters.
Q5: Is retransmission allowed?
A5: Yes. Reception and retransmission of media services is guaranteed and regulated in accordance with the Article 4 of the Law No. 6112. However, media service providers should submit a written agreement signed with the initial providers to the Supreme Council.
Q6: How many radio and television services can be provided by one company?
A6: According to Art 19, para (a) of Law No 6112, the same company may only provide one radio, one television and one on-demand media service.
Q7: Is foreign ownership allowed in broadcasting companies?
A7: The total direct foreign capital share in a media service provider shall not exceed fifty percent of the paid-in capital. A foreign real or legal person can directly become partner of maximum two media service providers. If foreign real or legal persons hold shares in companies that are shareholders of media service providers and become indirect partner of the broadcasters, the chair, the deputy chair and the majority of the Board of Executives and the general director of the broadcasting enterprises have to be the citizens of the Republic of Turkey, and the majority of the votes in the general assemblies of broadcasting enterprises should belong to the real or legal persons having the Turkish citizenship. In main contracts of such corporations, the arrangements ensuring these provisions shall be stated clearly.