Yes, and the rules are stricter than most assume. Article 21 of Law No. 6112 treats the logo and call sign not as a branding matter but as an element of broadcast identity subject to registration.
Article 21/1: content condition and compulsory registration
“Provided that the relevant legislation is complied with and that they are not contrary to public order and general morals, any name and the block graphics depicting that name may be used as a logo, and audible announcements as a call sign. Registration of logos and call signs with the Supreme Council is compulsory. Media service provider undertakings may change their logos and call signs with the permission of the Supreme Council.”
| Rule | Content |
|---|---|
| What is a logo | Any name and the block graphics depicting that name |
| What is a call sign | Audible announcements |
| Content limit | Must comply with the relevant legislation; must not be contrary to public order and general morals |
| Registration | Compulsory with RTUK |
| Change | Possible with RTUK permission |
Article 21/2: a single logo, and use during advertising
“Media service providers shall be obliged to use a single logo and call sign throughout their transmission periods, including the period during which they carry out test broadcasts. It is essential that television broadcasting service providers use their logos in a modified form during advertising broadcasts and do not impair the basic characteristic of the block graphic.”
The second sentence contains a two-way rule and both parts are read together:
- During advertising the logo is used in a modified form — which serves to distinguish advertising from programming.
- But that modification may not impair the basic characteristic of the block graphic — the channel identity must remain recognisable.
Why the logo changes during advertising
This rule is the visual counterpart of the distinguishability principle in Article 10/1, under which advertising and teleshopping are arranged so as to be “clearly recognisable through an audible and/or visual warning and readily distinguishable from the other elements of the programme service”. Differentiating the logo during a break helps the viewer understand that what they are watching is advertising.
Test broadcasts are covered
Article 21/2 says “including the period during which they carry out test broadcasts”. The logo obligation is not suspended during a trial transmission. Under Article 37/1(j) RTUK is empowered to grant permission for trial broadcasts; that permission does not confer exemption from the logo rule.
The detail sits in regulation
Article 21/3: “The procedures and principles concerning the application of this article shall be determined by a regulation to be issued by the Supreme Council.” How registration is applied for, and the logo’s position, size and duration on screen, are read from that regulation.
Do not confuse this with trade mark registration
The registration in Article 21 is a broadcasting registration made with RTUK. Separate registration with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office may be required as a matter of trade mark law. The two do not substitute for each other: one arises under broadcasting legislation, the other under industrial property legislation.
Sanctions
A breach of Article 21 falls under Article 32/2: an administrative fine of one to three per cent of gross commercial communication revenue, not less than TRY 1,000 for radio undertakings and TRY 10,000 for television undertakings and on-demand media service providers. Under Article 32/8 RTUK may issue a warning instead of a fine, once for each breach falling under that paragraph.
The logo also serves a supervisory function, since it establishes the identity of the broadcast: RTUK monitors and supervises broadcasts under Article 37/1(e), and the logo is the first marker of which broadcast belongs to which undertaking.
Advertising separation rules are covered in the ad break guide and loss of licence conditions in the licence revocation guide.