Television in Turkey

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) have submitted parliamentary questions regarding a contentious government bill granting Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) the authority to regulate every kind of internet broadcasting.

Turkey’s top media watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), ordered on Feb. 6 to impose a fine and cease broadcasting five times for the channel of controversial TV personality Adnan Oktar, who is known abroad as Harun Yahya.

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) ruled on Nov. 24 to impose a penalty against private broadcaster Beyaz TV after Turkish pundit Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı made sexually explicit comments targeting Bosnians during a live sports show.

The Turkish Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has decided to remove broadcaster Rudaw, which is affiliated to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, from its satellite broadcasting on the same day voting took place on an independence referendum in the KRG.

The council made the decision at an extraordinary meeting in the capital Ankara on Sept. 25. 

Dating shows will not be aired on Turkish TVs this season, an official from the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) was quoted as saying on Aug. 21 at a forum in the northwestern province of Kocaeli.

Turkey's media watchdog Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) cancelled licenses for five TV channels, after the latter did not heed the council's broadcasting ban of 10 days, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on July 20. 

Turkish Family and Social Policies Ministry has announced plans to support TV series that promote family life and which are aimed at children. 

The ministry commenced talks with the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) on the issue and is working to determine the criteria regarding the support, daily Habertürk reported May 23. 

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) will not ban TV dating shows in Turkey, but it will only let them be aired at times when children do not watch TV, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

The report came after claims that a state of emergency decree published on April 29 had outlawed television dating shows in the country.

Debate over a recently issued state of emergency decree law is continuing, as a Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) member elected from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said the new regulations include "hidden threats" against TV channels and radio broadcasters. 

The future of TV dating shows in Turkey remains under a cloud after a state of emergency decree published on April 29, with the country's television watchdog saying a "study is under way" on the matter. 

"We are having the legal consultancy department conduct a study," RTÜK chair Prof. Dr. İlhan Yerlikaya told daily Hürriyet.