The photojournalist is the journalist who documents the news in images, and is listed in the legislation as a title separate from the reporter.
In Which Lists Does It Appear?
| Type of publication | Sub-paragraph | Present? |
|---|---|---|
| Daily political newspapers | Art. 19/1-ı | Yes |
| Weekly political newspapers and magazines | Art. 20/1-ı | Yes |
| Non-political newspapers and magazines | Art. 21/1-ı | Yes |
| Fortnightly and less frequent publications | Art. 22/1-ğ | Yes |
| Anadolu Agency | Art. 23/1-f, g, ğ, h | Yes — four grades |
| News and photo agencies | Art. 24/1-ı | Yes |
| Internet news sites | Art. 27/1-ı | Yes |
| Radio and television | Art. 26 | No — the photographer title instead (added in 2024) |
The Grades at Anadolu Agency — Art. 23
| Grade | Sub-paragraph |
|---|---|
| Chief photojournalists | Art. 23/1-f |
| Senior photojournalists | Art. 23/1-g |
| Photojournalists | Art. 23/1-ğ |
| Assistant photojournalists | Art. 23/1-h |
The Legal Limits of Taking Photographs
Photojournalism works on the balance between the freedom to receive news and the privacy of private life and the protection of personal data. We covered those limits in separate articles:
The Constitutional Framework
Article 20 of the Constitution guarantees the privacy of private life and Article 28 the freedom of the press. The conflict between those two rights is the daily legal problem of photojournalism. We covered the detail in the constitutional basis of press freedom.
Permission to Film at Public Institutions
Filming and carrying out research in Turkey by members of the foreign press is subject to a separate permission. We covered the detail in foreigners filming and carrying out research in Turkey.
Being Counted in the Staff
In publications publishing official announcements the photojournalist may also be shown in the intellectual worker staff; the conditions in Art. 18/2 of the Official Announcements and Advertisements Regulation apply: a written and full-time contract, the wage paid in full and in advance, the work actually being done, and the social security and tax accruals.
The General Conditions for a Press Card
The general conditions for a press card are governed in Article 8 of the Press Card Regulation, and the title lists in Articles 19–27. Appearing on the list is not enough on its own: actually working in the news field, being subject to Law No. 5953 and remaining within the quota are also required.
Conclusion
The photojournalist appears in the title lists for newspapers, magazines, fortnightly publications, agencies and internet news sites; it does not appear in the radio and television list — the title of photographer was added to that list in 2024. At Anadolu Agency the title is divided into four grades: chief photojournalist, senior photojournalist, photojournalist and assistant photojournalist.