The illustrator is one of the most striking titles on the press card lists — and comes immediately after the cartoonist.
In Which Lists Does It Appear?
| Type of publication | Sub-paragraph | Present? |
|---|---|---|
| Daily political newspapers | Art. 19/1-l | Yes |
| Weekly political newspapers and magazines | Art. 20/1-l | Yes |
| Non-political newspapers and magazines | Art. 21/1-k | Yes |
| Fortnightly and less frequent publications | Art. 22/1-i | Yes |
| Internet news sites | Art. 27/1-l | Yes |
| News and photo agencies | Art. 24 | No |
| Anadolu Agency | Art. 23 | No |
| TRT | Art. 25 | No |
| Radio and television | Art. 26 | No |
The Source of the Title: Law No. 5953
Press Card Regulation Art. 4/h defines a journalist as those working for a wage in intellectual and artistic work within the scope of Law No. 5953.
The Regulation Gives No Definition of “Illustrator”
The definitions provision of the Press Card Regulation (Art. 4) contains no definition of illustrator. For that reason we draw no inference from the legislation about the scope of the title; the assessment belongs to the Press Card Commission.
“Picture” in the Page and Printing Rules
The Official Announcements and Advertisements Regulation lists the picture expressly:
- Art. 40/1: writing, pictures, photographs, graphics and the like relating to their texts
- Art. 41/1: all kinds of writing, pictures, photographs, graphics, cartoons and the like being easily readable and understandable
- Art. 62 (internet news sites): all kinds of writing, pictures, photographs, graphics, cartoons and the like being understandable and relating to their texts
- Art. 79 (official advertisements): including pictures, photographs, graphics, cartoons and the like in the content
The Copyright Dimension
A picture is a work of fine art within the scope of the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works No. 5846. We covered the rules on its use in news in copyright, data protection and access to information in news.
Being Counted in the Staff
In a publication publishing official announcements the illustrator may also be shown in the intellectual worker staff; the conditions in Art. 18/2 of the Official Announcements and Advertisements Regulation apply. The exception introduced by the 2025 amendment is only for “those employed as writers” and does not cover the illustrator.
Conclusion
The illustrator is listed in the Press Card Regulation at daily and weekly political newspapers, non-political newspapers and magazines, fortnightly and less frequent publications and internet news sites; it does not appear in the agency, Anadolu Agency, TRT and radio-TV lists. The basis of the title is the phrase “intellectual and artistic work” in the definition of a journalist (Art. 4/h).