The publication type is an item shown on the declaration, and the choice is not discretionary: Art. 2 of Law No. 5187 defines all three types.
The Three Definitions
| Type | The definition in Art. 2 of Law No. 5187 | Subpara. |
|---|---|---|
| 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, with at least one province in every geographical region, together with the publications of news agencies | d |
| Regional periodical | A periodical printed by a single press organisation and published in at least three neighbouring provinces or in at least one geographical region | e |
| Local periodical | Periodicals published in a single settlement, together with national and regional publications appearing weekly or at longer intervals | f |
Subparagraph (g) also defines the concept: the publication type expresses which of the national, regional and local types a periodical falls within.
The Fine Point in the Local Definition
The Two Conditions in the National Definition
The definition of a national periodical requires two conditions together:
- Being published in at least one province in every geographical region
- Being published in at least seventy per cent of the country
It also requires the publication to be printed under the same name by a single press organisation. The publications of news agencies count as national by definition.
Why It Matters: The Penalty Floor
The publication type determines the lower limit in the penalty articles. The penalty articles of Law No. 5187 set floors that rise with the publication type for the same act:
| Article | Act | Does the floor rise? |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 15 | Not showing the mandatory information | Yes - for regional and national publications |
| Art. 16 | Continuing a suspended publication | Yes - for regional and national publications |
| Art. 18 | Not complying with a correction and reply decision | Yes - for regional and national publications |
| Art. 20 | Encouraging sexual assault, murder and suicide | Yes - for regional, national and internet news sites |
| Art. 21 | Disclosing identity | Yes - for regional, national and internet news sites |
| Art. 17 | The delivery and retention duty | No - no distinction by type |
Separate Definitions for Radio and Television
The Law No. 6112 regime is different. Art. 4 of the Press Card Regulation gives a separate definition for radio and television: a regional radio and television broadcast is a broadcast service delivered to at least seventy per cent of the total population of the provinces within a geographical region and to the provinces determined within that region by RTUK. A local broadcast is a broadcast service delivered terrestrially within the borders of at most one province.
For Internet News Sites
The definition of a national periodical in Art. 4 of the Press Card Regulation also covers the publications of internet news sites. So news sites are within the type system too.
Summary
- A national publication is printed under the same name and published in at least seventy per cent of the country with at least one province in every geographical region.
- A regional publication is published in at least three neighbouring provinces or in at least one geographical region.
- A local publication is one published in a single settlement, together with national and regional publications appearing weekly or less often.
- The type directly affects the lower limit in the penalty articles.