The figure is ninety seconds. Article 16/3 of Law No. 6112: “Short reports shall be used stating the source, only within news programmes and in a manner not exceeding ninety seconds, and in on-demand media services only where the same programme is transmitted on a recorded basis by the same media service provider.”
Three limits at once
| Limit | Rule |
|---|---|
| Duration | At most 90 seconds |
| Placement | Only within news programmes |
| Attribution | The source must be stated |
| On-demand services | Only where the same programme is transmitted on a recorded basis by the same provider |
The second limit is breached most often: ninety seconds of footage cannot be used outside a news programme. A sports discussion show, an entertainment strand or a magazine slot cannot rely on the short reporting right.
Where the right comes from
Article 16/1: “Television broadcasters holding exclusive broadcasting rights to events of major importance for the public shall be obliged, within the scope of Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works, to provide other broadcasters with a short reporting right against payment on a fair, reasonable and equitable basis.”
The short report is therefore not a favour from the rights holder but a statutory obligation. The holder of exclusive rights must provide it to other broadcasters — but not free of charge.
The requesting broadcaster chooses the footage
Article 16/2 confers a right that is often overlooked: “Other television broadcasters requesting a right of access to events subject to exclusive broadcasting rights shall be granted the right to select the short reports freely.”
The rights holder cannot therefore say “here are the ninety seconds you may have”. The requesting broadcaster decides which moments to use. The purpose is to stop news value being left to the discretion of the rights holder.
The special condition for on-demand services
The closing part of Article 16/3 sets a separate condition for on-demand services: the short report applies “only where the same programme is transmitted on a recorded basis by the same media service provider”. Outside the case of a news programme used in linear broadcasting being made available on a recorded basis in the same provider’s on-demand service, the short reporting right cannot be relied on in an on-demand service.
Two provisions on stating the source
The duty to credit appears both in Article 16/3 and among the general broadcasting principles. Article 8/1(ı): “…it is mandatory to state the source of news taken from agencies or from another media source.” The same sub-paragraph also requires the archive or reconstruction character of footage to be stated — so where footage from a past fixture is used, an archive label is needed as well.
Do not confuse this with the unencrypted broadcasting duty
Articles 16 and 17 are frequently mixed up.
| Art. 16 Short reporting right | Art. 17 Public access to major events | |
|---|---|---|
| To whom | To other broadcasters | To the public |
| What | Up to 90 seconds of footage | Unencrypted and free broadcasting of the event |
| Payment | Against payment | Free |
| Scope | Events of major importance for the public | The list of major events announced by RTUK |
Copyright runs separately
Article 16/1 frames the right within Law No. 5846. The short reporting right does not replace other permissions required under that Law. Article 4/3 contains a comparable reservation: the procedures and principles of retransmission are regulated by RTUK regulation “without prejudice to the provisions of Law No. 5846”.
The payment question is covered in the short reporting payment guide and the unencrypted list in the major events guide.