Yes, it can - but by two different procedures in two different regimes.
For Periodicals: A Declaration of Change
Art. 7 of Law No. 5187 requires the type of publication to be shown on the declaration. Art. 8/2 lays down the procedure for a change: every change in the content of the declaration is notified to the same authority within two weeks, with the necessary documents, by a new declaration.
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Period | Two weeks |
| How | A new declaration |
| To whom | The public prosecutor's office for the place of management |
| Review | The provision of Art. 8/1 applies to declarations of change as well |
The Consequences of a Change of Type
The type is not merely a label; it produces direct consequences in two places.
| Area | Effect |
|---|---|
| The penalty floor | The lower limits in Arts. 15, 16, 18, 20 and 21 rise for regional and national publications |
| The press card | Art. 15/b of the Press Card Regulation requires the type chosen on the declaration to conform to the definition in Art. 4 |
| The imprint | Art. 4 requires the publication type to be shown on a periodical; when the type changes the imprint is updated |
A Historical Note: The First Type Notification
Provisional Art. 1 of Law No. 5187 imposed on the owner and responsible editor of periodicals already being published before the Law entered into force a duty to notify the type of their publications to the public prosecutor's office for the place of management within thirty days. Failing to notify within that period was tied to a heavy fine, and the penalty started from a higher base for regional and national publications.
That transitional provision is a historical reference today; but it shows that the type has been an item the Law took seriously from the start.
For Radio and Television: The Supreme Council's Permission
Art. 14 of Law No. 6112 uses a different concept of type - general or thematic broadcasting - and governs the procedure separately:
- Organisations notify the Supreme Council in writing of the type of their broadcasts at the licence application.
- The type of broadcast is expressly stated on the licence document issued by the Supreme Council.
- Broadcasting services must be provided in the type notified and in the language chosen.
- The broadcast type may be changed on request with the Supreme Council's permission.
- The conditions for changing the broadcast type are determined by the Supreme Council.
When Is a Change Needed?
- If the distribution area has changed. If you have pulled back from three neighbouring provinces to a single settlement, the type becomes local (Art. 2/f).
- If the publication frequency has changed. A national publication moving from daily to weekly counts as local by definition (Art. 2/f).
- If you have opened into new provinces. You may have entered the regional or national definition.
Summary
- For a periodical, a change of type is notified within two weeks by a new declaration to the public prosecutor's office, and the imprint is updated.
- For radio and television, a change of type is made on request with the Supreme Council's permission and its conditions are set by the Supreme Council.
- Because the type directly affects the penalty floor and press card conditions, it must be kept true to the real position.