Legislation

[Radio and Television Supreme Board December 18, 2002]

SECTION ONE

OBJECTIVE, JUSTIFICATION AND DEFINITIONS

Article 1

The objective of this Regulation is to regulate the procedures and principles relating to broadcasting made in the different languages and dialects traditionally used by Turkish citizens in their daily lives in addition to radio, television and data broadcasting in Turkish.

Article 2

This Regulation has been prepared based on Article 4 of Law No. 3984 on the Establishment and Broadcasts of Radio and Television amended by Law No. 4771.

Article 3

As for the terms used in this Regulation;

a) The Supreme Board denotes the Radio and Television Supreme Board

b) “TRT” denotes the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation

c) Law denotes Law No. 3984 on the Establishment and Broadcasts of Radio and Television

d) Data broadcasts denotes broadcasts made, either together with or in relation to radio and television broadcasts or independently of radio and television programs, via electromagnetic waves, data networks and other means with the intention to inform the public directly

SECTION TWO

LANGUAGE OF BROADCASTS

Article 4

The main language of broadcasting is Turkish. It must be ensured that Turkish is used as the language of communication without distorting its characteristics and rules and that Turkish is promoted as a modern language of culture, education and science.

Article 5

Broadcasts can also be made in the different languages and dialects traditionally used by Turkish citizens in their daily lives.

Broadcasts in the different languages and dialects traditionally used by Turkish citizens in their daily lives shall be made by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation.

In these languages and dialects, broadcasts of news, music and culture can be made for adults. No broadcasts can be made towards the teaching of these languages and dialects.

Within the framework of the financial contributions of the Radio and Television Supreme Board and the means available to the TRT, broadcasts will be made, also taking on board the views and requests of the administrative authorities, in these languages and dialects through a protocol to be concluded between the Supreme Board and the TRT and surveys will be undertaken to establish the listener-viewer profile of these broadcasts.

The provisions of this Regulation and the aforementioned protocol apply to broadcasts to be made by the TRT in these languages and dialects.

The duration of radio broadcasts in these languages and dialects shall not exceed 45 minutes per day and a total of 4 hours per week. TV broadcasts shall not exceed 30 minutes per day and a total of 2 hours per week. TV broadcasts shall be accompanied by Turkish subtitles which fully correspond to the broadcast in terms of timing and the content. As regards radio broadcasts, a Turkish translation will be broadcast after the program.

Article 6

The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation shall apply to the Supreme Board with the executive board decision indicating the broadcasting area with respect to the viewer-listener profiles of television and radio programs, the languages and dialects to be used and the types of broadcasts of news, music and culture in these languages and dialects, on which day(s) these broadcasts will be made, their position in the daily broadcasts and monthly and annual broadcasting plans along with documents certifying that the members (the director in charge, the staff of the news department and news presenters) of the supervisory board, established specifically for these broadcasts, satisfy the criteria specified in Law No. 3984 and related regulations.

SECTION THREE

ASSESSMENT, PERMISSION AND REQUIREMENTS

Article 7

The Supreme Board decides in which language(s) and/or dialect(s) broadcasts shall be made and the broadcasting area based on the viewer-listener profile.

The Supreme Board decides on the conditions of permission by obtaining, ex officio, information and documents from the competent authorities, not restricting itself to the information and documents in the application of the TRT, which will be in charge of the broadcasts in the different languages and dialects traditionally used by Turkish citizens in their daily lives.

Article 8

Radio and Television broadcasts in the different languages and dialects traditionally used by Turkish citizens in their daily lives cannot violate the supremacy of the law, the basic principles of the Constitution, basic rights and liberties, national security, general morality, the fundamental characteristics of the Republic as set out in the Constitution, the indivisible integrity of the state with its country and people, Law No. 3984 and the principles and procedures set out in the Regulations published based on this law, the requirements foreseen by the Supreme Board and its conditions of permission and guarantees and should be made within the framework of a public service approach.

During these broadcasts, the studio arrangements used for other broadcasts cannot be changed. The presenters and announcers are required to be in modern clothing.

Article 9

Broadcasts violating the provisions of this Regulation shall be subject to the provisions of Article 33 of Law No. 3984.

Recourse to judicial means is possible concerning the decisions of the Supreme Board.

SECTION FOUR

ENTRY INTO FORCE AND IMPLEMENTATION

Article 10

This Regulation enters into force on the date of its publication.

Article 11

The provisions of this Regulation are implemented by the Radio and Television Supreme Board.

[Non-official translation]

Source: Mercator Bulletin No. 53, http://www.ciemen.org/mercator/butlletins/53-06.htm

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