Radio and Television Supreme Council

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has imposed an administrative fine and two program suspensions on FOX TV for airing the contentious series Kızıl Goncalar (Red Rosebuds).

The decision comes in response to over 31,000 complaints received, RTÜK said on Dec. 28, citing violations of national and spiritual values.

Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) head Ebubekir Şahin has announced that an investigation into Disney+ will be launched over the broadcasting platform's cancellation of the TV series "Atatürk."

The watchdog has asked the platform to put forward their defense, Şahin informed in a statement on his Twitter account.

A woman shows her child a picture of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, Turkey, 18 January 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN

Türkiye's media regulator blocked access to the Turkish language services of Voice of America (VOA) and Deutsche Welle (DW) websites after the international public broadcasters refused to apply for licenses the regulator had requested.

Photo iIllustration: Unsplash/Matt Chesin

The BIA Media Monitor 2021 Report said that 35 journalists in Turkey were sentenced to a total of 92 years in prison in 2021.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has filed criminal complaints against Engin Özkoç and Aykut Erdoğdu, lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), accusing the MPs of "insulting" the president.

Özkoç is also the deputy group chair of the opposition party.

A request by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) regarding the use of video footages in the coverage of lockdown news on TV channels has stirred a debate.

Radios are still an integral part of Turkish people's lifestyle despite the emergence of the internet and numerous technological advances such as podcasts, smartphones, and the like, according to research.

Owing to its low cost and easier accessibility, radio is still recognized as one of the most popular and effective means of communication.

Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) has slammed Radio and Television Supreme Council's (RTÜK) decision to fine FOX TV, Halk TV, and Tele1, saying the ruling "is a direct intervention to the profession of journalism and is against the Constitution."

Turkey's top media watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), reviewed the English-language lyrics of pop songs, including Rihanna's, and issued hefty fines after concluding that they were inappropriate, daily Hürriyet columnist Cengiz Semercioğlu reported on June 7.