Press Release
In full view of unfair recent accusations especially taken place at some press and media organs, an obligation has emerged for the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) to make a press release.
In accordance with the Law No. 6112 on the Establishment of Radio and Television Enterprises and Their Media Services, RTUK has taken a decision to issue a warning to three international internet news portals on the obligation of obtaining a broadcasting license as it was granted already to the hundreds of other domestic and foreign news portals providing actively audio-visual online linear and non-linear services.
RTUK bases its decision on Article 29/A of the Law No. 6112.
In accordance with this Law, media service providers in demand to provide their radio, television and on-demand media services need to obtain broadcasting license from RTUK. This case includes the media organisations whose programme broadcasts targeting Türkiye are in Turkish language and provide commercials even though their content or hosting service providers are located abroad.
As a result of examination on the main pages of URL addresses of the relevant media organisations, “Live” button and “video” button has been seen to take place. It has also been seen that it can be passed through “live” button to a linear broadcasting and through the “video” bottom to various on-demand contents under the titles of “World, Europe, Economy, Sport, Culture, Programmes” that are all listed up in a catalogue.
RTUK’s missions have been clearly described on its official website in both Turkish and English languages.
In line with these missions, RTUK is to develop policies, make regulations and implement supervisions by considering its stakeholders’ rights, interests, and values on the base of the right to the freedom of expression and information.
As regards to RTUK’s quality policies, RTUK, as a public authority which regulates and supervises the radio and television broadcasting is to render its respectability, reliability and transparency perpetual, gain new communication technologies to the media sector, ensure plurality in the audio-visual sector by giving importance to ethical principles, build up a consciousness in viewers and create a media landscape where freedom of communication exists and respect to the rights and freedoms of all humans and human honour prevails.
Our missions and quality policies not only take place in our legal texts but also in our practices.
RTUK always stands up for pluralism, press freedom and free news covering of media organisations. Türkiye is a State ruled by Law like any other democratic country and each sector has its own rules and regulations. Sectors are regulated and supervised by the laws that are passed by the nation’s will in the Turkish Grand National Assembly. So, regulation and supervision of the media sector by an authority is also natural. Like its existent counterparts abroad such as Ofcom of UK, CSA of France, and FCC of USA, RTUK is the media authority in Türkiye. As a constitutional institution, RTUK regulates and supervises the organisations operating in the media sector in accordance with the Law No. 6112.
Our Supreme Council whose missions and visions are officially and clearly defined by the Law does never exhibit an attitude in a way to blockade newscasting or to bring a quota to the news. Contrary to some accusations nowadays, RTUK, being a guide to the sector, stands up for the dissemination of news legally under certain guarantees.
RTUK regulates and supervises online media service providers and web-based on-demand media organisations in the same way as it regulates and supervises traditional radio and television broadcasters.
In some debates recently carried out as regards to the area of on-demand media services, RTUK has been exposed once more by some quarters to the storm of criticism just because of its latest decision. But it has been seen that almost all the international on-demand platforms obtained their necessary licenses by confiding in our country and our State, opened their bureaus in Türkiye and, by generating employment, executed all their financial and legal liabilities. Today, the sector of online on-demand media services with all its domestic and foreign organisations is sustaining its life without any problem in a way of setting a good example to the many developed countries in the world.
As far as the latest debates are concerned, RTUK has recommended many web organisations by issuing necessary notifications via its official website up until now to make application to RTUK for obtaining their licenses, and following their applications, the necessary licenses/ permissions have been granted to all of them without any problems.
As it is clearly seen that the origin of a group of people who criticises RTUK’s regulation activities on the provision of conformity of some international press organisations with the Law is based again on the arguments of a certain group of opposition quarters who solely want to keep on their oppositionist position.
Our Supreme Council fulfils its activities completely and rightfully in line with its Law No.6112 and the Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye, both of which guarantee the public’s right to the freedom of information on legal grounds.
There is no need for anybody to feel an undue concern or hesitation on the freedom of expression and press freedom in Türkiye and make statements harbouring untrue implications and accusations on our Supreme Council currently fulfilling its missions in legal basis.
Respectfully announced to the public.
PRESIDENCY OF THE RADIO AND TELEVISION SUPREME COUNCIL