No. The Regulation reaches the same conclusion by two separate routes: absence from the title lists, and the requirement to work in the news field.
First Route: The Title Lists Are Closed
Chapter Five of the Regulation (Arts. 19-27) enumerates, for each type of publication, the titles eligible for a press card. These lists are exhaustive, and they contain no advertising, marketing, sales or customer relations title.
| Type of publication | Title list | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Daily political newspapers | Licence holder, editor-in-chief, responsible editor, news editor, reporter, photojournalist, cartoonist, illustrator and so on | Art. 19 |
| Weekly political newspapers and magazines | A similar list | Art. 20 |
| Non-political newspapers and magazines | A similar list | Art. 21 |
| Publications at fortnightly or longer intervals | A similar list | Art. 22 |
| Anadolu Agency | A separate list | Art. 23 |
| News and photograph agencies | A separate list | Art. 24 |
| TRT | A separate list | Art. 25 |
| Radio and television | A separate list | Art. 26 |
| Internet news sites | A separate list | Art. 27 |
Second Route: The "Working in the News Field" Condition
The Regulation writes this condition out expressly in three places:
- Art. 23/2 - Anadolu Agency: "No press card is issued to those who do not work in the news field at Anadolu Agency."
- Art. 25/2 - TRT: "No press card is issued to those who do not work in the news field at the Turkish Radio-Television Corporation." (added by Presidential Decision No. 8624 of 6/6/2024)
- Art. 26/2-f - Radio and television: "No press card is issued to those who do not work in the news field, even if they work under the titles listed above."
The Field Qualification Inside the Lists
For some titles the lists already enumerate fields. Art. 27/1-g, for instance, lists the titles of news director, coordinator, editor, sub-editor or chief at internet news sites subject to this qualification: provided they work in the fields of politics, domestic news, foreign news, current affairs, economy, finance, entertainment, education, sport, culture and arts, tourism, family, health, science and technology, environment, exclusive news and new media news.
What About a Designer Producing Content?
The Regulation draws a fine distinction. Art. 27/1-j lists, for internet news sites, the title: art director or page secretary or designer-graphic artist working in the news field.
Write the Title in the Contract to Match the Actual Work
Art. 28/2 requires the printout of the declaration to be approved by the owner of the media outlet or by the person authorised in the trade registry. The title written on the declaration is expected to be consistent with the title in the contract and with the work actually performed.
Art. 4 of Law No. 5953 likewise requires the nature of the work to be shown in the contract. The two texts point the same way.
The Prohibition on the Outlet Side
There is also a prohibition arising from the employer. Art. 7/2: no press card may be issued under this Regulation to the personnel and employees engaged in publishing activities of private sector organisations not providing services in the media field, of professional organisations having the character of public institutions, and of foreign representations located in Turkey.
We cover this in the guide for corporate communications staff.
Summary
- Advertising and marketing staff cannot get a press card.
- Those titles do not appear in the Regulation's exhaustive title lists.
- Arts. 23/2, 25/2 and 26/2-f expressly bar cards for those not working in the news field, even under a listed title.
- A designer qualifies only where the design work sits within news production (Art. 27/1-j).