Both titles stand at the top level of a publication; but their legal characters are entirely different.
The Basic Distinction
| Criterion | Responsible manager | Editor-in-chief |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | The declaration — under Law No. 5187 or Law No. 6112 | The employment contract and the staff |
| Definition | Press Card Regulation Art. 4/ö: the natural person stated with that capacity in the declaration | Not defined |
| Press card sub-paragraph | Art. 19/1-ç (and its equivalents) | Art. 19/1-b (and its equivalents) |
| Residence in the place of publication | Required — in print publications and agencies | Not required |
| Criminal liability | Within the chain of liability of Law No. 5187 | Not in the chain in that capacity |
| Compulsory in the imprint? | Yes — Official Announcements and Advertisements Regulation Art. 36/1 | Not a compulsory element |
| Residence exemption in official announcements | None — excepted in Art. 18/3 | Like the other intellectual workers |
The Definition of the Responsible Manager — Art. 4/ö
Responsible manager: the natural person stated with that capacity in the declaration given under Law No. 5187 or Law No. 6112.
The Difference in the Residence Condition
Press Card Regulation Art. 19/1-ç: the responsible editorial manager or responsible manager, on condition of residing in the place where the newspaper is published.
Official Announcements and Advertisements Regulation Art. 18/3 (Amended: Official Gazette 10/12/2025-33103): with the exception of the responsible manager, the other intellectual workers may reside outside the place of publication or the quota place, provided that they remain within the administrative boundaries of the same province and the neighbouring provinces.
The Exception: Internet News Sites
Art. 27/1-ç: at internet news sites no residence condition is required for the responsible manager.
Criminal Liability
Press Law No. 5187 places criminal liability primarily on the author of the work and, in certain cases, on the responsible manager.
Can the Same Person Be Both?
The legislation does not prohibit it. But since two separate sub-paragraphs are involved, the same person obtains a single press card — they count as one person for quota purposes.
Conclusion
The responsible manager is the natural person stated with that capacity in the declaration; they must reside in the place of publication (internet news sites aside) and they stand in the chain of criminal liability. The editor-in-chief is a staff title listed in the publication management sub-paragraph; it is not subject to the residence condition and does not stand in the chain of criminal liability in that capacity. The two are governed in separate sub-paragraphs.