The basic statute of public service broadcasting is Turkish Radio and Television Law No. 2954 of 11/11/1983. In forty years a significant part of its articles has been repealed, and the core that remains has gathered around the broadcasting principles, liability, the right of reply and the personnel regime. This guide brings twenty headings together.
The Law's Backbone Today
| Field | Articles | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose, scope, definitions | Arts. 1-3 | In force |
| Basic principles and broadcasting principles | Arts. 4-5 | Three subparagraphs of Art. 4 repealed; Art. 5 entirely in force |
| Establishment, organs, organisation | Arts. 8-17 | Largely repealed - Decree-Law No. 703 |
| Regulation of broadcasts | Arts. 20-32 | In force - Arts. 24 and 31 repealed |
| Financial provisions | Arts. 33-48 | Partly repealed; Art. 37 rewritten by Law No. 7548 |
| Personnel | Arts. 50-56/D | In force - the disciplinary articles were added in 2019 |
| Miscellaneous provisions and penalties | Arts. 57-64 | Partly in force |
1. The Framework of the Law
- what-does-trt-law-no-2954-govern-turkey
- definitions-in-the-turkish-trt-law
- the-repealed-articles-of-trt-law-no-2954-turkey
- what-law-no-7548-changed-at-trt-turkey
Article 1 (Amended: 11/6/2008-5767/1): the purpose of the Law is to determine the principles and procedures relating to the regulation of broadcasts made by radio and television and all media, and to the Turkish Radio-Television Corporation, whose autonomy and impartiality are laid down in the Constitution.
2. The Broadcasting Principles
| Subpara. | Reporting duty |
|---|---|
| Art. 5/k | To adhere, in the gathering, selection and broadcasting of news, to the principles of impartiality, accuracy and promptness and to contemporary reporting techniques and methods |
| Art. 5/l | To separate news from comment and to disclose the sources of comment |
| Art. 5/m | To make sufficient broadcasts so that public opinion may form soundly and freely; not to make one-sided, partisan broadcasts |
| Art. 5/j | To be respectful of the private lives, honour and dignity of persons |
3. Political Broadcasts
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- political-party-broadcasts-on-trt-during-elections-turkey
- broadcast-bans-on-national-security-grounds-trt-turkey
| Type of broadcast | Right of reply | National security ban | Personnel liability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary news and programmes | Yes - Art. 27 | Yes - Art. 23/1 | Yes - Art. 28/1 |
| Election propaganda speeches | No - Art. 27 final paragraph | No - Art. 23/2 | No - Art. 28/3 (with an announcement) |
| Presidential communiqués and speeches | No - Art. 27 final paragraph | - | No - Art. 28/3 |
Article 23: the President or a minister they designate is empowered, in cases where national security clearly requires it, to prohibit a news item or broadcast. In annulment actions to be brought before the Council of State against prohibition orders, notification is 48 hours, the reply and rejoinder ten days each and the decision fifteen days.
4. Advertising, the Right of Reply and Liability
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- the-right-of-reply-on-trt-broadcasts-turkey
- liability-arising-from-trt-broadcasts-turkey
| Stage | Period | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Sending the reply text | 7 days from the date of broadcast | Art. 27/a |
| Broadcasting the reply | 3 days from receipt of the text | Art. 27/a |
| Notification of refusal | 2 days from the end of the three-day period | Art. 27/c |
| Objection to the Ankara Magistrates' Criminal Judgeship | 2 days | Art. 27/d |
| The judge's decision | 2 days at the latest | Art. 27/e |
| Objection to the Criminal Court of First Instance | 2 days from notification - the decision is final | Arts. 27/f, /g |
| Bringing an action | 60 days from the date of broadcast - otherwise it is not heard | Art. 28/6 |
5. The Archive, News and the Protection of Programmes
- how-long-trt-must-keep-broadcast-records-turkey
- unbroadcast-news-material-at-trt-turkey
- protection-of-trt-programmes-and-unauthorised-use-turkey
Article 29: written texts and recordings are kept for seventy-five days from the date of broadcast. Where a broadcast has become the subject of an investigation, prosecution or inquiry by the legislative, executive or judicial organs, retention is compulsory until written notification that the proceedings have been concluded.
6. Personnel and Status
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- the-disciplinary-regime-for-trt-staff-turkey
- working-at-trt-news-press-cards-and-status-turkey
| Status | Basis | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| Civil servant | Law No. 657 + Law No. 2954 Art. 50 | Law No. 2954 Arts. 56/A-56/D |
| Contracted against an established post | Law No. 2954 Art. 50/g (Amended: No. 7548 - 2025) | Law No. 2954 Arts. 56/A-56/D |
| Personnel subject to private law provisions | Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098 + Law No. 2954 Arts. 50/h, /ı | The contract provisions |
Art. 4/h of the Press Card Regulation separately includes those working in TRT news units in the definition of a journalist. Art. 25/2 (Added: 2024) draws the limit: no press card is issued to those not working in the field of news at the Turkish Radio-Television Corporation.
7. Revenues and Penalties
The revenues are in a separate statute: Turkish Radio-Television Corporation Revenues Law No. 3093. Those who manufacture the devices must obtain a banderole or label before sale and those who import them on entry into free circulation. In 2017, by Law No. 7033, mobile telephones (6%), computers and tablets (2%), vehicles (0.4% / 0.01%) and set-top boxes (10%) were brought within the scope.
The Constitutional Ground
Art. 133/3 of the Constitution: the autonomy of the sole radio and television institution established by the State as a public legal person, and of the news agencies aided by public legal persons, and the impartiality of their broadcasts, are fundamental. Art. 31, in turn, grants individuals and political parties the right to use mass communication and broadcasting facilities other than the press owned by public legal persons.
We cover the detail in the Art. 133 guide and the constitutional guide.
Other Main Guides
| Guide | Scope |
|---|---|
| turkish-press-card-guide | Card types, conditions, commission, quotas, cancellation |
| journalist-employment-rights-turkey | The Law No. 5953 regime: contract, wages, leave, notice and severance |
| starting-a-media-outlet-in-turkey | Declaration, imprint, responsible editor, delivery, archive, licensing |
| turkish-media-ancillary-legislation-map | Legal deposit, printing houses, elections, service, the levy, transmission, advertising |
| copyright-data-protection-and-access-to-information-in-turkish-news | Quotation, source attribution, reader data and freedom of information |
| turkish-news-agencies-and-support-legislation | Agency conditions, Anadolu Agency, the Promotion Fund and the 2018 alignment package |
| working-as-a-foreign-journalist-in-turkey | Work permits, residence, card types, the letter of introduction, customs |
| the-turkish-directorate-of-communications-organisation-and-powers | Presidential Decree No. 14, the service units, 19 regional directorates, CIMER |
| the-constitutional-basis-of-press-freedom-in-turkey | Arts. 13, 22, 25-32, 41, 90, 133 and 148 of the Constitution |
| harmful-publications-and-child-protection-in-turkey | Law No. 1117, the Board, the stamp, sealed sale and reporting on children |