Evrensel newspaper hasn't received public ads for over 900 days

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The Press Advertisement Institution (BİK), the agency responsible for placing public ads and notices in newspapers, has not placed an ad in Evrensel newspaper for 903 days now.

Releasing a statement about the issue, Evrensel said it was granted the right to receive public ads in 2011, after a three-year review period, and was audited by the BİK every two years until 2019.

☛ Ads distributed by the BİK are a major source of income for many newspapers in the country. In recent years, press organizations have criticized the BİK for using its authority as a punitive measure against independent newspapers.

Starting from the second half of 2019, the newspaper started receiving written warnings, requests for defense and ad cut penalties, according to the statement.

"On September 18, 2019, BİK stopped placing ads in our newspaper. As of March 2022, Evrensel has not been able to receive ads for 900 days.

"One of the reasons for the suspension of advertisements imposed on Evrensel by the BİK was the reader solidarity campaign.

CLICK - 'Financial censorship': Public ad ban on Evrensel newspaper in place for 483 days

"BİK officials inspecting newsagents 'detected' the readers who bought more than one newspaper in solidarity with Evrensel and questioned why they bought too many newspapers.

"It imposed an ad suspension penalty on Evrensel on the grounds that there were 'bulk purchases.'

"Bik is stalling the process by not performing an audit because of the pandemic."

The BİK also prevents professional organizations, such as the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) from placing advertisements in Evrensel by considering their advertisements as "public ads," the newspaper further said.

Also, Evrensel noted, it currently has a 103-day ad fine, which means that even if the BİK lifted the "embargo," it would wait for an additional 103 days to receive an ad.

CLICK - BİA Media Monitoring Reports

(HA/VK)