Article 13 of Law No. 5953 answers this question separately for two periods, and the second answer is absolute.
After the Job Ends: Void
Being void does not mean "a penalty arises if it is breached"; the clause is without effect from the outset. It produces no consequences even if both parties signed it.
| Period | Competition restriction |
|---|---|
| While the employment relationship continues | May be written into the contract (see below) |
| After the employment relationship ends | Void — ineffective |
The Difference from Law 4857 and the Code of Obligations
This departs from general employment law. The Turkish Code of Obligations treats a post-employment non-compete as valid where its conditions are met. Law 5953 closes that possibility entirely for journalists.
The reason relates to the nature of the profession: journalism is a narrow labour market, and a post-employment restriction amounts to preventing a person from practising their profession at all.
Outside Work While Employed
The first sentence of the article governs the period of employment: unless the contract says otherwise, the journalist is free to take other work outside — and it makes no difference whether that work is press-related.
Here the rule is freedom and the exception is restriction. If you want a restriction, you must write it expressly into the contract; where the contract is silent, the journalist is free.
A Separate Restriction in the Official Announcement Regulation
A different rule operates at publications carrying official announcements, and the two should not be confused. Article 18 of the Official Announcement and Advertisement Regulation requires intellectual workers shown on the minimum staff not to engage in commercial activity for their own benefit and not to carry on any activity outside journalism.
| Regime | What it says | Who it binds |
|---|---|---|
| Law 5953, Art. 13 | Outside work is free unless the contract says otherwise | All journalists |
| Regulation, Art. 18 | Those shown on the staff may not carry on activity outside journalism | Only those on the official announcement staff |
The two do not conflict; they serve different purposes. Law 5953 governs the employment relationship, the Regulation governs the conditions for the right to carry official announcements.
Bottom Line
Contractual clauses restricting a journalist's freedom to practise their profession after the contract ends are void. During employment the journalist is free to take other work outside unless the contract says otherwise.