Press Advertising Agency cuts public ads of BirGün over ‘RTÜK’ news

Click to read the article in Turkish

Turkey's Press Advertising Agency (BİK) has cut the public ads of BirGün newspaper over its news report titled "RTÜK recognizes no law or Constitutional Court verdict: Extra payment of 450 thousand lira."

The related news report was published on BirGün on October 6, 2020 and it was about the members of Turkey's media authority Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK). According to the news, the reports of Turkey's Court of Accounts documented the public loss of 453 thousand 963 lira caused by the overseas trips of the RTÜK members.

BirGün is now fined by the BİK over this news report.

'It supposedly defames the authority'

While the BirGün's news was based on the audit report prepared by the Court of Accounts, the RTÜK's complaint submitted to the BİK argued that the news of the daily was "slanderous." The petition of the RTÜK briefly read, "The related news reports aim to wear away and defame the legal entity of the RTÜK, the RTÜK Chair and its members."

As for the BİK, it has argued that the related news report with references to the Court of Accounts' report is against the "Law on Press Ethics." The defense of BirGün's attorneys was not taken into consideration by the BİK in the investigation opened upon RTÜK's complaint.

The public ad cut was notified to the newspaper today (January 12).

Claiming that the news in question has overstepped the boundaries of freedom of expression and imparting news, the BİK has argued that the reports of the Court of Accounts are not yet final. (HA/SD)