Turkey's media authority fines TLC TV over program featuring LGBTI+ parents

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The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has fined five broadcasters for various reasons.

The TLC TV was imposed a monetary penalty fined over its "Extraordinary Pregnancies" program for "depicting homosexual relationships as normal."

The program that presented two women as parents having a child was "against the society's spiritual values" and "harmed gender roles and the social structure," according to the RTÜK.

TELE 1 TV was given a monetary penalty because of broadcasting the "Mr. Brooks" film, which the council said, "depicted killing as an instrument of pleasure."

Violent scenes in the film were not suitable for children who can't completely differentiate between fiction and reality, the council said.

The pro-government Akit TV was fined over a commentator's remarks on TV shows in Turkey.

"Why doesn't the RTÜK restrict these? Of course, it receives a share from advertisement revenues. So, the RTÜK earns a serious amount of money from this. Is this what prevents RTÜK from imposing fines?" the commentator had said.

The RTÜK imposed a monetary penalty on the broadcaster for "damaging its institutional reputation" and "remarks that are not compatible with the principles of impartiality and truth.

TV 8 was fined for broadcasting "Survivor" competitors' insults and arguments on a time of the day when children may be watching TV.

Sözcü TV was fined for "using a wrong logo." Burak Akbay, the owner of the daily Sözcü, had bought the "Sivas SRT" broadcaster to establish the Sözcü TV. RTÜK fined the Mega Ajans company for using the "SRT Sivas" logo instead of the "Sivas SRT" logo. (HA/VK)