Controversial News Principles for Terror Coverage

The Television Broadcasters Association (TVYD) as part of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) determined in compliance with all national channels that certain "principles of news should be followed in situations of terror and other extraordinary circumstances".

It was agreed to put a time limit on "breaking news" flashes on television and not to announce the names of people killed in armed conflicts before their families have been informed by the authorities.

Refraining from "broadcasts that might be perceived as propaganda"

Another principle announced was to "refrain from all sorts of broadcasts that deliver a justification of terror, that could be perceived as propaganda for the attackers and that encourage to further attacks".

RTÜK President Davut Dursun organized the "Media Awareness Advisory Meeting" on 25 June in Istanbul together with the Minister of the Interior, Beşir Atalay, the Public Order and Security Undersecretary, Muammer Güler, and the Chief of Police, Oğuz Kağan Köksal. The TVYD member reminded the fact that responsible news editors of national channels participated in the meeting as well.

Dursun had announced after the meeting that TVYD determined the principles of news in co-operation with responsible news editors of the national channels. He congratulated the broadcasters for "the most decisive position on terrorism so far".

Dursun: No restriction of the people's right to be informed

"We must not think of a possible restriction of freedom of expression and of the public's right to be informed with the adoption of the principles. Freedom of expression in the broadest sense is fundamental in times of crisis. Regulations that would restrict our freedoms because of terror or similar incidents would not be supported at all".

According to the decisions, live broadcasts of breaking news will be interrupted to turn back to the normal program if the incident does not propel fresh developments of the situation. The latest developments will then be broadcasted in the following news bulletins as part of the running program.

Outdated footage or pictures that show the faces of members of illegal organization will not be used, this material shall not be repeated and old footage should be labelled as "archive" when broadcasted.

Identities of soldiers who died in conflicts will not be broadcasted before their families have been officially informed. News staff will not go to the mourning families and interview them before they have been informed by the authority. There should be no live broadcasts from funeral ceremonies and from the homes of the mourning families, unless there an exceptional situation occurs. "Interviews that disturb them" will not be broadcasted.

Journalists Association: Principles open for abuse

The President of the Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD), Ahmet Abakay, criticized that the principles are "open to abuse".

Abakay told bianet that the principles have their positive sides but that journalists should be careful about certain aspects. He emphasized that broadcasts provoking people to war are forbidden in Turkey anyway by the Constitution. He stressed that the statutes of the ÇGD, the Charter on Rights and Responsibilities of Turkish Journalists and the International Journalists Federation are in line with the principles.

"Principles go too far"

"However, we have frequently criticized the recommendations related to terror propaganda which have been taken from the Anti-Terror Law [TMY]. The TMY brings everybody to court and we are against it in the first place. [...]"

"700 journalists are currently tried in Turkey, 45 are in prison. From Vedat Kurşun from the Azadiya Welat newspaper to Mustafa Balbay from Cumhuriyet newspaper... They cannot do their work because they are detained pending trial. The TMY restricts freedom of expression and puts journalists in jail. They established the correct principles but in the above mentioned aspect they went too far". (EÖ/VK)