The Press Card Regulation first lists who may be issued a card (Art. 7/1), then makes an express exclusion in its second paragraph. That second paragraph is the place that generates the most questions in practice.
Expressly Excluded (Art. 7/2)
A press card cannot be issued under this Regulation to the personnel and employees carrying out publishing activity of:
- Private sector organisations not providing services in the media field
- Professional bodies of a public character
- Foreign representations located in Turkey
Who Can Be Issued a Card? (Art. 7/1)
| Sub-para. | Who |
|---|---|
| (a) | Turkish citizen media members of media organisations operating in Turkey |
| (b) | Owners of periodicals or their legal person representatives, and chairmen of radio and television boards |
| (c) | Foreign media members acting on behalf of media organisations |
| (ç) | Turkish citizen owners and staff of media organisations publishing abroad |
| (d) | Turkish citizen media members freelancing abroad |
| (e) | Public personnel working at public institutions providing media services and in information services |
| (f) | Officers of unions and of associations and foundations working in the public interest, provided they operate in the media field |
The qualifier in sub-paragraph (f) — "provided they operate in the media field" — is the same logic as the second paragraph: being a union, association or foundation is not enough on its own.
Failing the Conditions: A Separate Ground of Refusal
The above are exclusions tied to the organisation the person belongs to. Separately, the request of a person who does not meet the general conditions in Article 8 is also refused (Art. 29/2). Those conditions concern age, education, criminal record and the contract; they are set out in the application checklist.
The Outlet's Conditions Also Apply
There is a third layer: even where the individual meets the conditions, the media organisation they belong to must satisfy the requirements in Chapter Four of the Regulation. Where it later emerges that it does not, the card is cancelled (Art. 38/1-b).
Bottom Line
A press card cannot be issued to publishing staff of private sector organisations not providing media services, professional bodies of a public character, or foreign representations in Turkey. For officers of unions, associations and foundations, the requirement of operating in the media field applies.