RTÜK gives 72 hours to Spotify for license, Bildirici says, ‘It is because of podcasts’

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The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) Supreme Board has warned four broadcasters on the ground that they do not have the necessary license for online broadcasting in Turkey.

Requesting Spotify and FoxPlay as well as two other broadcasters based in Turkey, namely Medyaport TV and Paylas FM, to apply to obtain a license from the RTÜK to continue broadcasting, the Supreme Board has given these four broadcasters 72 hours time to start their licensing processes.

In a notice published on RTÜK's website, the broadcasters have been told that they could make an application with a petition and an affirmative covenant and have to pay a licensing fee for 3 months in advance.

Those who fail to apply to RTÜK will have to suspend activities within 72 hours. If not, the RTÜK will file a criminal complaint against the companies as per the Article 33 of the Law no. 6112 and apply to a penal judgeship of peace for an access block as per the Article 29/A of the same law.

The RTÜK previously requested international broadcasters such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Mubi to start their licensing processes.

'Thought policing continues at full pace'

In response to this last warning to four online broadcasters including Spotify, Media Ombudsperson Faruk Bildirici has tweeted:

"The reason why RTÜK has turned to Spotify is not because of music, but because of podcasts. They aim to continue thought-policing at full pace there as well. They are allergic to free spaces!"

Last August, the RTÜK published a regulation and brought the Internet broadcasting in the country under its authority.

Accordingly, the license fee is 10,000 lira (~1,290 USD) for internet radios and 100,000 lira for TV and on-demand video broadcast. Also, the platforms have to use RTÜK's "symbol system" for broadcasting and inform viewers about the content of programs verbally or in written form. (HA/EKN/SD)