The whole Law is built on the definitions in Article 2. Your type of publication also determines which floor of penalty you are subject to.
The Basic Distinction: Printed Work, Periodical, Non-Periodical
| Subpara. | Term | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| a | Printed work | Writings, pictures and similar works printed by any means of printing, or reproduced by other means, for publication, together with news agency publications |
| b | Publication | The presentation of a printed work to the public in any way |
| c | Periodical | Printed works such as newspapers and magazines published at certain intervals, together with news agency publications and internet news sites |
| h | Non-periodical | Printed works such as books and gift editions not published at certain intervals |
Types of Publication - d, e, f, g
| Type | Criterion |
|---|---|
| National periodical | A periodical printed under the same name by a single press organisation and published in at least seventy per cent of the country, including at least one province in each geographical region, together with the publications of news agencies |
| Regional periodical | A periodical printed by a single organisation and published in at least three neighbouring provinces or in at least one geographical region |
| Local periodical | Periodicals published in a single settlement, together with national and regional publications published weekly or at longer intervals |
| Type of publication | Which of those three types the periodical falls within |
Why Does It Matter? The Floors of Penalty
The type of publication determines the lower limit in the penal articles:
| Article | Local (the general lower limit) | Regional | National / internet news site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art. 15 - publication without an imprint | Five hundred million lira | Two billion | Five billion |
| Art. 16 - continuing a suspended publication | One billion | Five billion | Ten billion |
| Art. 18 - not publishing a reply | Ten billion | Twenty billion | Fifty billion |
| Art. 20 - incitement | One billion | Two billion | Ten billion (including internet news sites) |
| Art. 21 - disclosure of identity | One billion | Two billion | Ten billion (including internet news sites) |
Internet News Site - Art. 2/m
(Added: 13/10/2022-7418/2) - A periodical established and operated in order to present written, visual or audio content in the nature of news or comment at certain intervals in the internet environment.
We cover the detail in the internet news site guide.
Persons - ı, j, k, l
| Subpara. | Term | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| ı | Author | The person who writes, translates, draws the picture or cartoon of, or records or edits the visual or audio content forming the content of the publication |
| j | Publisher | The natural or legal person who brings a work into the state of a printed work and publishes it |
| k | Printer | The natural or legal person who prints a work by means of printing or reproduces it by other means |
| l | Representative of a legal person | Where the owner of the publication or the publisher is a legal person, the natural person determined from among the managers by the competent organ |
The Other Definitions Added in 2022
- (n) Press card: the identity card given by the Directorate to the persons stated in this Law
- (o) Head: the Head of Communications
- (ö) Directorate: the Directorate of Communications
- (p) Commission: the Press Card Commission
- (r) Media member: employees of radio, television and periodicals carrying out press and broadcasting activity
- (s) Information officer: public personnel working in the State information services carried out by public institutions and organisations
Summary
Art. 2 of Law No. 5187 is built on the distinction between a printed work, a periodical and a non-periodical. Periodicals divide into national (at least 70% of the country), regional (at least three neighbouring provinces or one geographical region) and local (a single settlement, or weekly and less frequent); that distinction determines the floors of penalty. In 2022 the internet news site, the press card and the related concepts were added to the definitions.