A prohibition of two words, but the two describe different things: encouraging and normalising.
The Full Text of the Subparagraph
Art. 8/1-ş - May not encourage or normalise violence.
Two Separate Qualities
| Quality | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Encouraging | A presentation showing violence as attractive or desirable |
| Normalising | A presentation making violence ordinary, turning it into the commonplace |
The Sanction Tier
| Stage | Result |
|---|---|
| Breach | 2-5% of the gross commercial communication revenue of the preceding month + suspension of the programme up to five times - Art. 32/1 |
| More than twenty breaches in a year | The broadcast is suspended for up to five days - Art. 32/5 |
| Repetition / a second repetition | Suspension of five to ten days / revocation of the licence |
The Neighbouring Subparagraphs
- (ğ) May not contain exploitation of children, the vulnerable and the disabled and may not encourage violence.
- (s) May not contain programmes encouraging pressure on women or exploiting women.
- (g) May not be of a nature praising the commission of an offence, offenders and criminal organisations or teaching criminal techniques.
- (d) May not praise or encourage terrorism.
Its Relationship with Child Protection
Art. 8/2: programmes containing content that may harm the physical, mental or moral development of children and young people may not be broadcast at times when they may watch, even if a protective symbol is used. Programmes containing violence are the typical subject of that paragraph.
We cover the detail in the watershed guide.
Its Counterpart in Commercial Communication
Article 9: commercial communication must not encourage conduct that will harm health, the environment and safety, and must not without reason show children in dangerous situations.
The Counterpart at TRT
Art. 5/i of Law No. 2954: not to make broadcasts aimed at arousing and inculcating negative feelings such as pessimism, hopelessness, disorder, terror and aggression.
Application in Reporting
- Is the image of violence necessary for the news value?
- Is the image being shown over and over?
- Does the presentation place the perpetrator in an approving frame?
- Is the image of the victim consistent with human dignity? (Art. 8/1-ç)
- Are the broadcast time and the protective symbol appropriate? (Arts. 8/2, 24)
Summary
Subparagraph 8/1-ş of Law No. 6112 prohibits broadcasting services from encouraging or normalising violence. The two qualities are listed separately: encouragement shows violence as attractive, normalisation makes it ordinary. Its sanction is the heavy tier in Art. 32/1.