Global body criticizes Turkey over pressure against critical media

RTUK’s president, Ebubekir Sahin

• The latest fines confirm that RTUK has become a means to stifle media content critical not only of the government or president, but also of any political allies

ANKARA: The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of media executives, journalists and editors who advocate press freedom, condemned the latest set of fines issued by Turkey’s media regulator, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) on Thursday, against several dissident TV stations over their critical broadcasting.
RTUK is tasked with issuing licenses and monitoring TV and radio stations.
“These latest fines confirm that RTUK has become a means to stifle media content critical not only of the government or president, but also of any political allies,” the IPI said on Feb. 11, after fines were issued against Halk TV, Haberturk, Tele 1, KRT and Fox TV.
Press freedom activists claim the IPI considers these fines an instrument through which to silence critical media content and to warn free media advocates.
In 2020, these networks were subject to a total of 46 administrative fines totaling around 10 million Turkish lira (approximately $1.42 million) and eight broadcasting suspensions.
Halk TV was recently fined after having hosted a program where the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the coalition partner of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), was criticized.
Another fine against the same channel was related to commentaries about the disproportionate use of police force against countrywide student protests following the appointment by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of a political figure as the new rector of the prestigious Bogazici University.
The other TV channels were also fined over comments from guests on several programs criticizing Erdogan and pro-government judiciary members.
While RTUK members are designated by parties in parliament in proportion to their number of seats, the AKP and MHP hold six of watchdog’s nine positions, giving them the majority to design the limits of press freedom in the country.
Some media professionals have criticized RTUK of remaining biased when considering applications for broadcast licenses from independent TV channels, and posing bureaucratic challenges to the newcomers.
Last year, RTUK’s president, Ebubekir Sahin, publicly declared his political affiliation to Erdogan’s son-in-law with a tweet, considered by many as another signal of the council’s partiality.
Utku Cakirozer, a lawmaker from the main opposition party CHP and a journalist by profession, said the regulatory bodies, especially RTUK and the Press Advertising Agency (BIK), have been increasingly abusing their authority as defined by the constitution.
“These bodies are actually responsible for providing a free environment for the media channels. However, they turned into the punishment instruments for those who try to pursue independent and critical journalism,” he told Arab News.
Last year, BIK imposed public advertising bans on critical newspapers for a total of 803 days, depriving them from a significant source of revenue to sustain their journalism.
“The rising fines have unfortunately pushed the media companies toward auto-censorship to protect their much-needed advertisement revenues,” Cakirozer said.
Renan Akyavas, Turkey program coordinator of IPI, said RTUK’s latest fines confirmed a clear pattern to punish certain broadcasters critical of the government and its allies.
“The fines have a significant negative impact on the ad revenue of these broadcasters, creating serious financial pressure that could lead to their closure given the increased level and frequency of the sanctions,” she told Arab News.
According to Akyavas, Turkey has a long and established history of investigative and quality journalism, which continues to survive under extraordinary circumstances both financially and legally.
“The great potential of Turkey’s journalism can only thrive if the government’s crackdown and restrictions end. Critical coverage of government officials and other public figures must be tolerated in a democracy,” she said.
Experts also note that the greater digitization of Turkish society has inevitably pushed critical journalism toward online platforms to reach a wider audience without political interference.
Akyavas thinks that under these restrictive conditions, Turkey’s media has successfully adapted, and is competing with conventional, pro-government outlets in reaching Turkish citizens.