 TRT 6, a TV channel owned by the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, has been broadcasting in Kurdish since 2009. Hürriyet photo |
Parliament has approved articles that would allow foreigners to own 50 percent of media companies and would open the ability to broadcast in languages other than Turkish to all radio and television stations in the country.
Both legislative articles are part of a bill governing the Supreme Board of Radio and Television, or RTÜK, that is currently being debated in Parliament.
The article removing language-related broadcast restrictions was among seven passed Wednesday night, while the raising of the foreign-ownership cap was passed Thursday; the remainder of the bill remains under discussion.
The ability to broadcast in languages other than Turkish is currently limited to a small number of specially licensed channels, while the cap on foreign ownership of media companies is 25 percent.
Members of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, submitted an unsuccessful motion to remove the article on broadcasting in languages other than Turkish from the bill. MHP group deputy chairman Mehmet Şandır said the issue was of great importance to the country’s unity and that Turkey had entered a “very dangerous period.”
Main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, group deputy chairman Akif Hamzaçebi, who took the floor on a different matter, said the bill was written in “sloppy” language but that the party had no objections to broadcasts in languages other than Turkish.
Parliament approved a law in May 2008 that allowed the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, to broadcast one of its channels solely in Kurdish. That channel, TRT 6, has since been joined by 14 other radio and television stations that RTÜK granted licenses to broadcast in languages other than Turkish.
Kart was speaking without knowledge of his own party’s views, Arınç said in response, pointing out that Şahin Mengü of the CHP had signed and approved the article. Arınç also expressed his own support for the change.
Other members of the CHP and MHP pointed to increasing violence and not enough attention to children as significant problems with the country’s broadcast television.
Under other approved articles, the prime minister would have the authority to implement temporary broadcast bans in the event that national safety or public order is compromised. The Council of State, the country’s top administrative court, could object to such a decision by suing to annul it.
Both legislative articles are part of a bill governing the Supreme Board of Radio and Television, or RTÜK, that is currently being debated in Parliament.
The article removing language-related broadcast restrictions was among seven passed Wednesday night, while the raising of the foreign-ownership cap was passed Thursday; the remainder of the bill remains under discussion.
The ability to broadcast in languages other than Turkish is currently limited to a small number of specially licensed channels, while the cap on foreign ownership of media companies is 25 percent.
Members of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, submitted an unsuccessful motion to remove the article on broadcasting in languages other than Turkish from the bill. MHP group deputy chairman Mehmet Şandır said the issue was of great importance to the country’s unity and that Turkey had entered a “very dangerous period.”
Main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, group deputy chairman Akif Hamzaçebi, who took the floor on a different matter, said the bill was written in “sloppy” language but that the party had no objections to broadcasts in languages other than Turkish.
Parliament approved a law in May 2008 that allowed the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, to broadcast one of its channels solely in Kurdish. That channel, TRT 6, has since been joined by 14 other radio and television stations that RTÜK granted licenses to broadcast in languages other than Turkish.
Increasing foreign ownership of media
Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç had previously criticized the article allowing foreign ownership of media to increase to 50 percent, Atilla Kart of the CHP claimed.Kart was speaking without knowledge of his own party’s views, Arınç said in response, pointing out that Şahin Mengü of the CHP had signed and approved the article. Arınç also expressed his own support for the change.
Other members of the CHP and MHP pointed to increasing violence and not enough attention to children as significant problems with the country’s broadcast television.
Under other approved articles, the prime minister would have the authority to implement temporary broadcast bans in the event that national safety or public order is compromised. The Council of State, the country’s top administrative court, could object to such a decision by suing to annul it.
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