The Press, Broadcast, and Printing Workers Union (DİSK Basın-İş) has conducted a wage study involving 82 journalists from 53 different media outlets. According to the findings, the average salary in the media sector is just 28% above the minimum wage, at 23,378 Turkish lira (~850 US dollars).  

The study found that salaries vary significantly based on years of experience. Only journalists with more than 10 years of experience earn over 30,000 liras, while those with less experience are generally paid below the average.  

For journalists with different levels of experience, the average monthly wages are:  

Less than 1 year: 22,871 liras  

• 1–3 years: 21,269 liras  
• 3–5 years: 22,000 liras  
• 5–10 years: 23,600 liras  
• More than 10 years: 31,889 liras  

The study also highlighted that one in four media workers earns minimum wage. Half of the sector operates within 20% of the minimum wage level, and nine out of ten media workers earn less than 25,000 liras.  

Journalists’ average salary expectations were recorded at 42,134 liras—an increase of roughly 80% over current earnings.  

The study also examined job stability, revealing that the average tenure in a single workplace is just 3.8 years. Nearly 70% of workers leave their job within three years, while only 11% remain with the same employer for more than a decade.  

Call for a minimum base wage  

DİSK Basın-İş called for the establishment of a minimum base wage in the media sector, arguing that current salaries are unacceptable for a profession requiring significant skills and demanding deadlines.  

"The majority of press workers are earning minimum wage or close to it. The question is no longer ‘What will the minimum wage be?’ but rather, ‘Why are so many people working for minimum wage?’ It’s time to address this issue," the report stated.  

The union proposed a minimum base wage set at twice the minimum wage for entry-level journalists. Additionally, it recommended annual raises at least equal to increases in the national minimum wage, with a 3% increase for each year of experience. For workers who remain with the same employer, DİSK Basın-İş suggested an additional 5% raise at the start of each year of continued employment.  

The report emphasized that press workers, described as “intellectual laborers constantly racing against time,” should not be subjected to wages that hover near the minimum. (HA/VK)